In Spiritus
by Awahili
Summary: Booth is determined to show Brennan the true spirit of Christmas. So when he rents a cabin in the woods of Pennsylvania for the holidays, guess who he asked to come with him? Christmas BB fluff abounds. Rating changed to be safe!
1. Where Are You Christmas

_Okay, I know this is going to hurt to read as much as it hurts to write but…this story assumes _Santa in the Slush_ never happens. I know! But I promise you the Christmas cheer and fluff in this story will more than make up for it. Just stick with me. On with the show…_

Booth is determined to show Brennan the true spirit of Christmas. But if his plan is going to work, he's going to need a little help…

* * *

_Where Are You Christmas?_

**December 21, 2007:**

Seeley Booth jogged up the steps of the Jeffersonian Medico-Legal lab whistling a merry tune. The chill of the air, the sounds of bustling shoppers and ringing bells, and the twinkling lights all added up to Seeley's favorite time of year: Christmas. And with eleven days left till the joyous holiday, Booth had been struck with an epiphany. His lovely partner, Temperance Brennan, would again be alone on Christmas. And Booth was going to do his best to make sure that didn't happen. Word through the squint squad grapevine – a.k.a. Angela – was that Brennan was planning on a trip to Peru to gaze at some creepy skeletons in a tomb. _Not Christmas-y at all_, Booth thought as he passed the guards.

"Merry Christmas," he greeted them as he passed, and they returned his sentiment jovially. The glass doors whooshed open, hitting him with a blast of cooled air that reminded him he was still in a lab despite the frigid temperature outside. Hodgins and Zach were racing beetles on the platform, and he waved as he bypassed them. Angela and Cam were huddled over something in Angela's office, but he merely greeted them with a merry Christmas before scooting past them toward his partner's office. Predictably, she was staring at her computer screen, her face screwed up in concentration.

"Hey Bones," he smiled that special smile that usually convinced her that whatever he had planned was actually a good idea, but the effect was lost when she didn't even glance up.

"Hello Booth." Her fingers glided over the keyboard deftly as a few more sentences materialized on screen. "Give me just a second."

"No rush, Bones," he replied, settling himself down on her couch.

"No case?" she asked, still staring at her screen.

"Nope," he said, letting her hear the grin in his voice. This time she did stop and look up at him.

"So why are you here?" she inquired.

"What, a guy can't come visit his partner with no ulterior motive? Just to say hi?" he feigned offense, and she shook her head.

"I don't mean to be rude," she ignored his snort and the mumble that sounded suspiciously like "you never do" and continued. "It's just that my editor wants me to materialize an outline for a novel by Christmas."

"But that's in four days!" he objected, immediately rising to her defense.

"Somehow I'd figured that out," she snapped back, then held her hand to her forehead. "I'm sorry, Booth. I've been 'snappish' lately, or at least that's what Angela said. And I'm starting to get a headache." He stood and walked around the desk to her side, making sure not to look at the screen.

"Hey, you don't get to see your family this Christmas," he said softly. "It's understandable." He paused a moment, wondering if he should continue. But he realized this was the perfect segue into his proposition so he leaned against her desk casually. "I hear you're off to Peru?" he offered lightly, aiming to keep his tone neutral. She stood up from her chair and stretched, her back protesting from the hours spent sitting in front of the computer.

"_National Geographic_ found a new step pyramid on an ancient ceremonial site known as _El Brujo_. 1500 year old skeletons, part of a very mysterious culture called the _moche."_

"No, no skeletons at Christmas," he protested.

"Booth, I go on a dig every year," she reminded him. "Besides I'm really looking forward to _El Brujo_," she finished. Knowing he was delving into dangerous waters, he guided her over to the couch, pausing only momentarily to push her office door closed. This conversation needed to be private.

"Look, Bones," he started, but ran his hand through his hair in a manner that she perceived as frustrated. "Temperance," he tried again, and she looked up sharply at the use of her given name. "Going on digs and getting away from DC on Christmas isn't going to make the fact that you don't get to see your family hurt any less."

"Booth, I haven't spent a Christmas with my family since I was fourteen, I hardly think that I –"

"And every year you distance yourself from the merriment and the cheer and the general feeling of Christmas by going somewhere where you don't have to think about it. And I understand that. But you're not going this year."

"I'm not?" she said in a tone he would have cringed at years ago. But nearly three years at her side had rendered him immune to her ire. "So, are you just going to conk me over the head with the club now or should we wait until we're closer to your cave?" _Okay, nearly immune_, he amended as he ducked his head. But the fire in her eyes spurred him on rather than warned him off, and he took a deep breath.

"Look, Rebecca is taking Parker to Vermont this year, so I'm not going to get to see him for Christmas. And my parents are going to California to be with my brother and his family." She saw the pain in his eyes at not being able to see his son on his favorite holiday but then it was gone, replaced with something akin to determination. "And after I wallowed in self-pity and remorse for a day or so, I realized that it's a kind of a blessing. I'm taking a week off, starting tomorrow, and going up to a cabin I've rented just outside Philadelphia. It'll be nice to get away for a while." He took another breath and steeled himself for her reaction as he dropped the other shoe. "I want you to come with me." His tone was low, but she heard the need in his voice.

At first her face was blank and he thought she might blow up at him at any second. But when her voice cut the silence softly, he let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Why would that be something you want?" She was searching his face now, looking for any sign of deceit or mockery – she found none and silently berated herself for thinking that of him.

"Because despite what I've said, nobody should be alone for Christmas," he said. "And I'm your friend, so there's no reason that we, two friends who will each be alone on Christmas, shouldn't spend the time together." Her expression was still unreadable so he sighed and stood up. "You know what, Bones," he said quickly. "Forget it. Go to Peru and dig up skeletons in _El Brujo_. I'll see you when you get back." It was a testament to his frustration that he hadn't butchered the name comically like he usually did in their banter. He had his hand on the doorknob when her voice stopped him.

"Wait," she stood and walked over to him. "You just can't spring this on me and expect me to make a decision quickly," she jabbed. "So don't walk out of here mad just because you think I'm brushing you off. You have to give me time to think," she told him. "I would have thought you'd known that by now." His eyes dropped from hers in supplication and she sighed heavily. "Look, I'm sorry," she softened her tone. "A cabin getaway sounds nice, but don't you think it will be a bit odd to explain to everyone."

"Why?" he responded. "Neither of us has any expectations about the trip other than two friends spending the holiday together, so why should anyone else?"

"Because you know as well as I do what Angela will make out of this," she gestured between them.

"All due respect to Angela," he replied, "But it's not really any of her business. I understand she's your friend – she's my friend too – and if you tell her nicely to back off, I think she will." Brennan's expression was thoughtful, and Booth felt hope for the first time since he'd voice his question.

"Can I think about it?" she asked him honestly, and he bit back a triumphant grin. _That's not a no_.

"Sure," he said, "But I'm leaving at ten o'clock sharp. There's a snow storm blowing through New England tomorrow evening and I want to be there before it hits." After a few seconds of contemplative silence, he reached out and set his hand lightly on her shoulder. "Look, whatever you want to do is fine. Just make sure that if you go to Peru, it's for the right reasons. If it's not, you'll just be more miserable than you would be here. And, barring disaster, I am not coming all the way down there to cheer you up." She smiled at his attempt at levity and he squeezed her shoulder quickly before leaving her office.

She watched his retreating figure, her gaze distant and thoughtful. Well after he'd passed from view she stood there thinking about his offer. Peru had the wonderful site, the intelligent community she often found on digs, skeletons to examine, and the mystery to unravel. But Pennsylvania had Booth. And right now, she really couldn't decide which one she wanted more.

She checked the clock and realized it was getting late in the day. She saw Cam leaving Angela's office already in her winter coat, followed shortly by a similarly dressed Angela. Cam said something to the boys on the platform and Angela made a beeline for Brennan's office, seeing the object of her search standing in her door.

"Hey sweetie, you all packed for Peru?" Angela asked as Brennan moved back to her computer.

"Yeah, Ange," she answered distractedly. She quickly saved her progress and shut her computer down.

"When will you be back?"

"The seventh." Another monotone answer

"Alright, well enjoy. And merry Christmas Temperance." This time Brennan stood and moved to hug her friend.

"You too, Ange. I hope you have a good Christmas with Hodgins."

"Oh we will," Angela replied with a rakish grin. "I have this new outfit that –"

"Please, Ange," Brennan smiled at her friend's enthusiasm.

"Oh fine. I thought I saw Booth come this way earlier." The statement was innocent enough, but Angela's tone was anything but.

"He just stopped by to say Merry Christmas," Brennan lied automatically, but couldn't stop the next words from her mouth. "He's rented a cabin near Philadelphia for a week for Christmas."

"I thought his parents lived in Philly?" Angela's interest was peaked now.

"They do, but Rebecca's taking Parker to Vermont this year and his parents are going to California to his brother's."

"So he's going to be all alone, in a cabin, in the beautiful snowy woods of Pennsylvania? That's…depressingly romantic."

"He's actually looking forward to it," Brennan replied. "Says it's a good opportunity for him to get away." When Angela made a sound of pity, Brennan called her on it.

"Bren, that's just something guys say when they don't want to admit they really don't want to be alone."

"Well," she hesitated, unsure if she should reveal the next part. But Angela had a way of laying out everything clearly and helping her decide the best course of action.

"Well what?"

"He sort of asked me to go with him." Angela's eyebrows shot up into her hair line as her grinned doubled.

"And you didn't immediately cancel your Peru plans? Sweetie, a very hot guy just asked you to spend a week in a romantic cabin getaway up in the woods. Do you even _have _a pulse?" The artist made a show of laying two fingers on her friend's wrist.

"Angela, this is serious. What do I do?" At that moment the artist understood her friend's conflict. If she went with Booth it was like admitting that there was something more to their partnership, their friendship. Spending a week alone with him opened up the possibility of an actual romantic relationship between them, and Angela could see the fear in her friend's eyes at the prospect. She would have to give herself completely – Booth would require nothing less – and Brennan was so independent. But, Angela was hopeful, if anyone could get Brennan to open up like she needed to it was Booth. Opting for the nonchalant route to get her friend to voice her fear, Angela kept the sly smile on her face.

"I'm not seeing the problem here, Bren. You and he are friends, both of you are going to be alone for the holidays, and it's still getting you away from the cheery atmosphere of the city at Christmas."

"No, you weren't here, Ange. The way he said it…" Angela face showed clearly that she was lost.

"Said what?"

Brennan took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly. "He said, 'I want you to come with me.' But it was the _way_ he said it, Ange. Like…like it would kill him if I said no." Angela sucked in a breath and held it for a moment; this was more serious than she thought if Booth was trying to take a step forward.

"Did you?"

"Not exactly," Temperance answered, seeing the relief evident on her friend's face. "But I did tell him I had to think about it."

"Hence my presence here," Angela nodded, catching up. "Okay, first things first then. Do you _want_ to spend the holiday with Booth?"

"I…I don't know," she replied honestly. "I'm not even completely sure why he asked me, but he did say that he didn't have any expectations other than two friends not being alone for Christmas." Angela hid her grin. _Way to go Booth._

"Then I don't think you should either. If he just wants to spend time with you, away from work, as a friend – then I don't see where the conflict is. He's your friend, right?"

"Of course," she defended immediately, but her expression quickly morphed into one of desperation and Angela took pity on her.

"If you want my honest opinion, and I'm sensing that you do, I think you should go. It will be good for both of you to get away for a while – an honest-to-God vacation that has nothing to do with bodies, or murders, or skeletons. Just two friends enjoying each other's company during what would otherwise be a very lonely holiday season." Brennan stared at her friend in contemplative silence before nodding absently.

"Okay," she said finally before standing and moving to the coat rack. Once she'd donned her winter coat and gloves she turned back to the artist. "Have a good Christmas, Ange," she pulled the woman into a friendly hug.

"You too, Temperance," she returned. Angela walked out the door and collected Hodgins on her way out of the lab. Zach looked a little lost up on the platform by himself with no one to race beetles with, so Brennan scanned her card and smiled at her assistant.

"Well Zach, I hope the time with your family is enjoyable," she said. He offered his mentor a small smile as he traded his lab coat for a real one. She walked with him as he shut the lab down, realization dawning on her as he pulled a large suitcase from a back room.

"How are you getting to the airport?" she asked.

"Cab," he said simply. "I called for one twenty minutes ago." Sure enough, as they exited the building, a cab was waiting out by the curb.

"You Zach Addy?" the cabbie called through the open passenger window, and Zach nodded and waved for the man to wait a second.

"Well, Dr. Brennan, I hope you have a merry Christmas," he said, not sure about the protocol for this situation. She saved him by stepping forward and pulling him into a hug.

"You too, Zach," she replied.

"Tell me all about Peru," he shot back as he climbed into the back of the cab, but she only offered a small smile in return before waving at the retreating cab. She trekked all the way to her car thinking about Peru and Booth, skeletons and snow.

* * *

Well that's it for chapter one. Not much fluff, I know, but I have to start somewhere. Expect an update once a day for a week. Meanwhile, go ahead and click that blue-ish button there and let me know what you thought of this chapter. And Happy Holidays!


	2. Let it Snow

Thanks everyone so much for your great reviews. I'll get around to responding as soon as possible; our Christmas party is tonight so I probably won't have a lot of time. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy.

_

* * *

_

_Let it Snow_

**December 22, 2007:**

His alarm sounded shrilly from somewhere off to his right, and he groaned into his pillow as he rolled out of bed to silence the annoying thing.

"Seven?" he looked at the clock, trying to recall why he'd set the alarm for such an early hour on a Saturday. _Oh right, I'm leaving today_. His brain jolted awake as he realized he hadn't heard from his partner. _Which means she's probably hip deep in skeletons right now_. With that depressing thought rolling around in his mind, he stripped his boxers off and stepped into the shower. When he was done, he pulled on a short-sleeved vintage T-shirt over his favorite black thermal, smiling at the classic corvette on the front. He didn't take too much time on his appearance today; he was just driving alone to a cabin where he'd spend the next week alone. He hurried to start packing before he depressed himself out of going.

Twenty minutes later he pulled an old duffel bag from under his bed and began packing things he would need for a one week stay. Plenty of long-sleeved shirts and pants, socks and underwear, and sleepwear all folded neatly into the bag. He added his phone charger, a few books he'd been meaning to read, plus both of Brennan's novels. His parents, having felt bad for leaving their youngest child behind for Christmas, had bought Seeley a laptop. He made sure he had all the accessories before packing that as well. He reloaded his CD case with his current musical selections as well as several Christmas CDs.

It was eight thirty by the time he'd rechecked everything and he moved to the kitchen to start breakfast. After three eggs, bacon, toast, and tall glass of orange juice he washed his dishes and turned on the television to check the weather.

"And the storm blowing in from Canada looks to be stronger than I first anticipated. If you're planning on traveling into New England today, you'd better get on the road quickly. The high today will be a toasty twenty-eight degrees here in the nation's capitol. Parts of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine can expect highs nearer to the single digits, with an overnight low dipping into the negatives with wind chill. In sports, the Patriots look to hold onto their undefeated record against…" he switched the set off and sighed, rechecking his winter clothes one more time. He added a few blankets to his load, as well as thermal socks from his time in the army.

At nine-thirty he was staring longingly out his front window at the snow falling down softly over his lawn. He couldn't quite explain what had come over him when he'd ask Brennan to come with him. He hated to see her hurting, and he knew – despite everything she said – she hated being alone on holidays. The look in her eyes had told him that he'd been right on the money when he'd cited her reasons for wanting to go on the digs. She went every year at Christmas to get away from the family atmosphere that descended over the city around this time of year. And he couldn't suppress his ever-present urge to protect her, to be there for her. So he'd invited her along. Truthfully, he'd begun to doubt himself and he played it off, diverting the awkwardness in a fit of annoyance at her apparent nonchalance. But she'd become disturbingly good at reading him and called him on it. And then she hadn't said no. His heart still did a little flip when he thought about her face as she'd told him she'd think about coming. He'd told her ten o'clock, still not entirely convinced she'd show up at his door. But all throughout the night he'd managed to convince himself that she'd call, tell him she'd cancelled her trip and demand that he swing by and pick her up (because that was just more practical than leaving her car at his place).

Sighing, he pulled himself from his melancholy thoughts and donned his coat and gloves, ready for the biting chill of the wind as he loaded the car. He shouldered his duffel bag, checked to make sure electronics were unplugged and at least one light was on. Ms. Hennerman across the hall had promised to check in on his place from time to time, and he left a Christmas card taped to her door on his way out. He bowed his head against the wind as he stepped outside, his gloved hands clenching around his keys as if they could offer some warmth. He'd rented a car for the week – there was no way the FBI would let him take their SUV for a personal holiday. The blue Trailblazer was parked right outside, and he checked to make sure he had his emergency car kit, flares, and a spare with a jack before he loaded his duffel bag into the trunk.

He was about to shut it when a smaller gloved arm grabbed the trunk lid and held it up while the other arm hefted a suitcase next to his duffel bag. He turned to see his partner's cold-reddened face smiling shyly at him. Out of instinct – and maybe shock – he lifted her smaller suitcase into the back next to his.

"Bones?" he finally remembered his manners and smiled brightly at her. "You're coming?"

"You did invite me?" she asked obviously, and he laughed as he threw an arm around her shoulders.

"Of course, I just…never mind," he shook his head and shut the trunk. They parted around the vehicle as they climbed in and he started the car to get the engine warm before they headed off. "What changed your mind?" he inquired as he immediately stopped the blast of cold air from the vents.

"I just…" she shrugged as she thought. "Pennsylvania sounds better than Peru," she answered truthfully. He sensed she didn't really want – or know how – to explain it better, so he let it drop for now as he put the car in gear. They were silent as he drove the car through a few side streets on the way to the highway. Once they joined the stream of cars headed north, she settled into her seat and watched the scenes of her city scrolling by her window.

"How long is the drive, Booth?" she found herself asking.

"Oh, not too long," he said. "Probably about three or four hours, depending on stops, traffic, and weather." She nodded and continued to stare out the window, her mind racing over the endless possibilities of the next week. She'd never been on an extended vacation with someone who was neither immediate family nor a lover, so she really had no idea what to expect. On the other hand, she heard her inner voice telling her, Booth had said himself that they were just two friends keeping each other company during a lonely holiday season.

"Can I ask a favor?" his voice cut through her thoughts and she turned her head toward him and nodded. He took a deep breath and tried to catch her eye meaningfully before reverting them back to the road. "Could we, just for the next week, not use last names? I'd really like for you to call me Seeley. I mean, we have known each other for three years, so…" he left his sentence hanging and she found herself chuckling at his nervousness.

"That's reasonable," she agreed, "But _you_ have to call me Temperance, or Tempe if you prefer." She jabbed a finger in his direction, and he laughed at her response. Reaching over with his right hand, he caught her accusing one and set them both down on the center console.

"Deal, Temperance." She hid the shiver her name from his lips sent through her body and she pulled her hand back when he released it. "Did you eat breakfast?" he asked, mostly out of habit, and she nodded as her head turned back to look out the window. The light snow that had been falling was picking up, but the highway was still clear due to the traffic so she didn't really worry.

They chatted a while about nothing at all, but mostly there was a comfortable silence in the car as Booth drove them farther north. By some silent agreement, work was not spoken of.

After a few hours Seeley stopped to refuel both his gas tank and his stomach. Temperance turned down the gas station taquitos but opted for a large hot chocolate. As they got back out on the road, Seeley checked the map one more time.

"Just a couple more hours," he told her, noticing the snow picking up a bit more.

"Weather's getting worse," she pointed out unnecessarily.

"We'll be fine. If all else fails, we'll find a place to stay for the night." At her look, he rushed on. "But we won't have to. We'll get there just fine. I think I've exhausted my music selections, unless you want to listen to Christmas music. See if you can find anything on the radio." She reached over and turned a couple of knobs before the voice of a man filled the car.

"No," Seeley protested. "No talk radio, I'm begging you."

"Well fine," she said, flipping it to a classic rock station, "I'd hate to see you beg." He grinned at her as she started singing softly to the tune. Pretty soon both of them were belting off key (he more than she) and grinning like fools. And Seeley couldn't remember a time when she looked more beautiful.

* * *

_Peaceful_, was the first thing she thought as the solitary cabin came into view. The dense trees were blocking a lot of the wind, but she could see they wouldn't hold off the storm for too much longer. As he pulled the SUV under the covered parking next to the cabin, she zipped up her coat and stepped out of the car with him. Once they had everything they needed he pulled a set of keys from his pocket and let her inside.

It was spacious, with a large fireplace on the far right wall. A couch and two comfortable chairs framed a small coffee table in front of the fireplace, and a large flat screen hung above the mantle. To the left was a half-bar leading into a kitchen only a little smaller than hers at home, complete with appliances and food. At her questioning look he smiled and shrugged.

"I had one of my old friends drive up here yesterday and stock the place. He lives just a ways from here, so it wasn't too much of a hassle. Of course, he only stocked the place for one person, so we may have to hit the local market at some point next week." She set her bags down on the rug and continued her examination. Across the living room was a hallway that ended in a bedroom, though Temperance could see two more doors leading from the hall, presumably into another room and a bathroom. Seeley stooped and grabbed her bags, leading her through the living room to the far room.

"This one has a good view," he told her, setting her bags down and moving to the curtains. He pulled them back to reveal a snow blanketed forest, complete with a few skittering creatures and lightly swaying trees. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the scene, trying to remember when she'd felt more at peace.

"Pretty cool, huh?" his voice was soft but his tone was teasing and smug, as if the "I told you so" was lying just under the surface.

"Yes, thank you for…inviting me," she told him, unable to form the words "bringing me" for fear he would read too much into it. _Maybe you want him to, Tempe_. She shook her head clear of the thought as he walked past her and into his room. She heard him rustling around, presumably unpacking, and Temperance moved to her own suitcases. Once her clothes were put away in the drawers, she took her toiletries and stashed them in the bathroom next to his, suddenly struck with the prospect of actually _living_ with someone for a whole week.

"You okay?" his voice startled her and she turned quickly. He was leaned against the door jamb with his arms crossed in front of his chest, that teasing smile playing about his lips. "I've got a fire going," he continued, jamming a thumb over his shoulder. "The storm's really picking up." He backed out and led her to the living room, handing her a mug from the bar before joining her on the sofa. The television was on the weather channel, displaying various parts of New England being covered in snow.

"Well, it looks like we're stuck here for the night," he told her. "Let's find a movie." He began flipping through the guide looking for the movie channels. There were a few he hadn't seen before, but knew she probably wouldn't enjoy them. Finally, he settled on _National Treasure_, remembering how much he and Parker had enjoyed it.

Twenty minutes into the movie he snuck a glance at her. She was curled up on the end of the sofa with her feet tucked underneath her and her hot chocolate clasped firmly in both hands. Her eyes were completely focused on the screen, as if the movie itself were a pile of bones she was examining. He smiled slightly, sending up a prayer of thanks that she'd decided to come with him. He still had no clue what had possessed him to invite her, but as time went on he realized that he just wanted more of her. She was fiery, independent, stubborn, passionate, and brilliant in her professional life, and he'd only seen glimpses of what her personal life was like. Lately, he'd often find himself wondering what it would be like to be the one she came home to, the one at whom she directed all that passion. The brief and far between moments in which she allowed him to truly see her, to comfort her, or to just be there for her had left him wanting. On the drive to the cabin he'd made up his mind; he was going to address this thing between them over the next week, and there were three ways it could go. Firstly, she truly didn't have any feelings for him beyond partners and friends (which he doubted), in which case he would feel awkward for a while but things would go back to normal eventually, possibly making their friendship all the more strong. Second, she could deny her feelings all together making it extremely awkward for both of them until they could no longer function well as a team (or be fine as just a partnership, but have an effectively ruined friendship). Or she could return his feelings and yes, things might be awkward for a while, but the rewards would well outweigh the risks and he would be the happiest man in the world.

"Seeley?" this time she pulled him from his thoughts and he blushed slightly as he realized he'd been staring to just the left of her face for a while.

"Sorry, zoned out. What were you saying?"

"I was asking if you were hungry, though I think that's an absurd question." He grinned at her at the exact moment his stomach grumbled loudly.

"Let's see what we have in the kitchen," he said reaching for the remote.

"But the movie…" she started to protest, but he merely hit the pause button, freezing the actors on the screen.

"Technology's a wonderful thing," he returned, grabbing her hand and pulling her up from the couch. "Now, about that food." He let her hand go and wandered into the kitchen, opening various cupboards and examining their contents. "Okay, so we're good on the soup," he remarked dryly, opening the cabinet door wider to reveal about twenty cans of soup.

"That sounds fine," Temperance said, reaching for two cans of Vegetable and Tomato Soup. He pulled a pot from under the oven and set it on the stove, leaving her to open the cans and heat the contents while he searched for spices.

"Ah ha!" he cried, pulling out thyme and oregano. "Italian Tomato Soup," he claimed, dropping a small portion of each into the red liquid. He opened the fridge and grinned as he reached in and pulled out a pitcher.

"What is that?"

"This," he said with a flourish and a sniff, "is Ms. Bee's famous sweet tea. Chaz's mom makes the best tea," he added, pouring them both a tall glass. Once the soup was heated she dished it out into two bowls and ran water in the pot before flicking the light off and returning to her spot on the couch. Seeley had produced a package of crackers from somewhere and he set the bag between them before un-pausing the movie.

"This is an interesting take on American history," Temperance commented as the credits rolled.

"The sequel just came out. You wanna go see it when we get back?" His tone was casual, but her eyes sought his nervously. Seeing nothing threatening, she shrugged.

"Sure, barring dead bodies and murder mysteries." His laugh caught her off guard and she realized just how her comment may have sounded. "That wasn't a sardonic comment," she added.

"I know," he said, still chuckling. "But it was still funny." He yawned and then checked the time, surprised to see it was only just after eight. "It's still too early to turn in. What do you want to do now?"

"I usually read when I have nothing to do," she told him frankly.

"And I'll bet you packed several novels. That's fine," he nodded. "I'm going to hit the shower. Enjoy your book." He grabbed his dishes and hers, tossing them in the sink on his way to his room.

He let himself indulge in a long shower, letting the warm water loosen his muscles and cascade over his body. His partner was, at this moment, curled up on the couch not twenty feet away. He felt his body react to the thought of her beautiful eyes taking in every word, her face a mask of concentration, and her body completely relaxed against the cushions. Sighing deeply, he reached forward and turned the knob all the way to the right, gasping as the icy water hit his flushed skin. He quickly shut the water off and wrapped a towel around himself. _It's gonna be a long week._


	3. Baby It's Cold Outside

Alrighty, here's the third chapter. There's fluff in this one! And it's long too. Enjoy!!_

* * *

_

_Baby It's Cold Outside_

**December 23, 2007:**

Seeley stretched and yawned, his feet inching out below the covers. He immediately pulled them back into the warmth of the blanket as he rolled over to check the time. _Seven am_, he noted with cynicism. His days as a Ranger made it nearly impossible for him to sleep past nine, but waking up at seven on vacation just seemed ludicrous. He was about to roll over and try to get back to sleep when a noise from outside his door drew his attention.

_She's up_, his mind supplied unnecessarily and he stilled his breathing for a moment, listening to the sounds of Temperance waking up. He smiled softly as he heard her brush her teeth quickly. There was some shuffling of feet that could have been hair brushing, he wasn't sure. Then the bathroom door shut quietly, and he heard the lock slide into place. Moments later, the shower started and he thought it safe to get up. He quickly changed and grabbed some socks, padding out into the kitchen to start the coffee and breakfast.

When she emerged from the shower, he'd already down his oatmeal and one mug of coffee. She smiled a little shyly at him (that may have been his imagination) as he stood up and handed her a mug wordlessly.

"Oatmeal's on the stove," he said, moving past her to take his own shower. She watched him go, sipping her coffee absently as she tried to adjust to her partner living in the same space as she.

Co-habitation didn't seem as bad as she'd originally thought. Neither of them seemed crowded, there was ample space for their things, and that they got along on a fairly regular basis was a plus. Still, she liked her independence and had been pleasantly surprised when he'd left her side last night to allow her alone time to read. It was as if he'd sensed her thoughts, something he was prone to do as of late.

She put a small scoop of butter and a dash of milk in her oatmeal and ate it quickly. When that was done she set about cleaning the dishes from this morning and last night. She was so absorbed in the task at hand and her thoughts that she didn't hear him exit the bathroom and move to stand behind her. She had just finished drying the oatmeal pot when he chuckled softly. But even the small sound was enough to startle her and she whirled around, dripping spatula in hand. He threw up both hands in mock defense and plastered a smirk on his face.

"Whoa, Temperance! Don't shoot." She shot him a glare as she commanded her heart to slow its pace. He settled himself against the counter next to her, watching her finish her chore.

"What do you want to do today?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. What is there to do out here?"

"Loads," he answered. "We could go for a walk in the woods, build a snowman, drive into town. It's up to you."

"What about the storm last night?" She rinsed off the last bowl and set it next to the others to dry.

"It's over and done," he replied, handing her a dish towel to dry her hands. "Come on," he told her. "We'll go for a walk through the woods, then head into town to stock up our kitchen a bit more." She nodded and moved back to her room, pulling a thick sweater on over her knit-shirt. After a coat, scarf, and gloves she was ready for the cold outdoors and she met Seeley by the door. He had a blue ski jacket on with matching gloves and a scarf. She briefly thought that maybe all the layers were too much, but when he opened the door and they stepped out into the frigid air, she was thankful for the scarf around her neck.

"Which way?" she asked, looking around. He surveyed their choices and grabbed her hand, pulling her off to the east. He let go just as quickly once she was walking next to him, and they strolled in an easy silence for a while, just looking at nature.

She smiled at the sight of squirrels scampering around in the snow, gathering their last food for winter. Birds chirped from the warmth of their nests, but the silence of winter was settling over the forest. Something howled in the distance and Temperance instinctively took a step closer to Seeley. He grinned to himself and pretended not to notice. He was looking for a specific place and he didn't want to miss it. With a nod his head he turned off the path and led her through sparse foliage into a thicket. He crouched down behind a log and gestured for her to do the same.

"What are we doing?" she whispered to him, but he shushed her with his hand and smiled, his eyes returning to the clearing. They were upwind, and so nearly invisible to the creatures below. Her eyes followed his gaze and her breath caught.

There, in the clearing, was a baby black bear rolling around in the snow playfully. The watchful mother was nearby, keeping a weathered eye on her cub. The baby leapt up and sprint at his mother, stopped just short and sending a spread of snow at her. She growled at him half-heartedly, but he ignored her and darted off. He let out a loud noise, a high pitched growl limited by the size of his throat. Another cub bounded from inside the den, nearly tackling the other in earnest.

Temperance watched in fascination as the bear cubs wrestled in the snow. She spared a glance at her partner and saw a similar expression on his face, as well as one of nostalgia. He turned his head toward her and motioned her away, and they silently crept back to the path. Once they were a safe distance from the den, she laid an appreciative hand on his arm.

"Thank you, that was amazing. How did you know that was there?"

"My parents brought my brother and me out here every winter when we were kids," he admitted. "That friend of mine that stocked the kitchen? He lives in town, and even took me and Jared hunting when we were kids. Jared wasn't really into it, but I loved it."

"You hunt?" she tried not to sound shocked, but she hadn't thought him capable after his time in the Army. He smiled softly at her, as if reading her thoughts.

"I used to, before the Rangers. After that…it's hard to look through a scope and not see –" He cut himself off and shook his head. "Never mind. You want to head back or walk around some more. There may be some coyote dens in the area." She looped her arm through his and squeezed it in comfort. She, better than anyone, knew what a burden he carried with him. He'd shared some of it on a cool day in Arlington.

"Let's go back," she replied. "We can go into town and get some more food. And I want to meet your friend." _I want to be included in more aspects of your life_. She stamped down on the thought fiercely, feeling her heart rate increase. Somehow, being here in the middle of nowhere with him, all those reasons why she was holding back seemed to fade away. She couldn't let herself down that road, fearing she'd only hurt herself and him in the process.

He led her back with ease, his Ranger senses had not dulled. Upon arriving, she noticed one small hitch in their plan.

"Seeley, the road is completely snowed over," she pointed out.

"Not to worry," he told her. "The car's got brand new winter tires. We'll be fine." He opened her door for her, earning him a reproachful glare as she stepped up into the SUV.

He chatted on the drive to town about inane things, telling her about his friend Rob, some of the townsfolk, and exactly how small the town was.

"There's exactly one stoplight, unless they've done some growing. I guess that's possible, but I hope not. I'm kind of wishing it's exactly the way I left it."

"The population of America has grown over 22 million since the year 2000. It's highly unlikely…"

"Bones," he warned, automatically reverting to her nickname at the start of her banter. "Temperance," his tone softened. "Leave the high IQ at the door, will you?" he teased. "I was just voicing my wishful thinking. I'm sure it's grown, I just wish it hadn't." She nodded, turning her head out the window. He instantly felt ashamed for his words, knowing that her intelligence was a large part of who she was. He hadn't meant to make her feel self-conscious and vowed to himself to make it up to her later.

As they crossed the city limit, a smile graced his face as he realized the town was nearly exactly as he'd left it. It was perhaps a little weathered, but almost nothing had changed. He parked along Main Street, rushing around the car to hold her door open.

"B – Seeley, I can get it," she griped at him. He leaned in a little and whispered in her ear.

"These people are very traditional, Temperance. If I wasn't a perfect gentleman there's an old lady a few stores down who'd hear about it and give me an earful." He offered her his arm, and she barely suppressed her eye roll as she took it.

They strolled down the street for a while, Seeley pointing out different store fronts to her. She marveled at the comforting feeling the small town gave her. Everyone who passed them on the street wished them a merry Christmas, and she found herself replying almost automatically.

After the tour – which had lasted half an hour – Seeley led her over to the small diner tucked away next to the post office. The bell rang as they entered and he smiled at everyone who turned, trying to recognize faces from so long ago. It was mid-afternoon and the lunch crowd seemed to be lingering around; no one wanted to venture out into the cold it seemed. They sat down at the bar and shrugged off their outerwear.

"Oh, hang those over there, dearie," a voice called from behind them, and Seeley's face split in a grin as he whirled around.

"Mae!" He spread his arms out wide and the older woman set down the tray before turning. She stared at the strange man for a moment as she wiped her hands on her apron. Suddenly her features softened and she rushed forward.

"Seeley! Oh my goodness, it's been too many years." She enveloped the man in a warm hug. "What have you been doing with yourself? Last we heard from Chaz was that you were in DC."

"That's right," he said, pulling back. "I work for the FBI now. And this," he said, guiding the elderly lady over to Temperance, "is my partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan."

"Mae Balinger," the woman said politely, grasping Temperance's hand in her two smaller ones. "Most folks round here just call me Mae, or Ms. Bee."

"The tea, right?" Temperance said, her gaze on Seeley. He nodded and Mae laughed.

"I see my reputation precedes me; Seeley just loves my sweet tea. Well sit down, dears, let's feed you up." She scooted around the counter and set two mugs of coffee in front of them. Seeley took their coats and hung them by the door before returning to his seat as Temperance placed her order. He added his and Mae scooted off for a moment to fill them before returning.

"So Seeley, how is it that we haven't seen you around here?" Mae said, her tone mildly accusing. He ducked his head sheepishly and shrugged.

"I guess I've just been busy. You know about Parker," he said, and she nodded. "Well he's with his mom this year up in Vermont, and this is the first Christmas without him. Mom and Dad went to California to have Christmas with Jared and his family. So here I am." He spread his arms wide, and it seemed Mae wasn't the only one who sensed the self-deprecating posture. Temperance reached out and laid a hand on his arm, but removed it just as quickly.

"Now Seeley, I don't know why you and Jared can't get along." She turned to Temperance. "Ever since they were boys, they've had this great competition between them. Honestly sometimes those two boys were just too much."

"Hey, he started it," Seeley said defiantly. "He's older than me. I was happy to worship my big brother, but no." He drug out the last word mockingly, and Mae settled a stern glare on him. Temperance couldn't help but laugh at his face; he looked like he was ten again.

"Seeley Booth, I thought you were over that petty childhood rivalry. I suppose some things never fade." Her voice softened as she leaned in closer. "How many times do I have to tell you that your parents love you just as much as Jared?"

"Wouldn't know it," he mumbled back, milking as much sympathy as he could from Mae. She swatted him with a dish towel and laughed.

"Don't mumble," she warned, and stalked off to collect their orders.

"What's your brother like?" Temperance asked, now genuinely curious. He sighed deeply and resigned himself to the uncomfortable conversation that was to follow. He glued his eyes to the countertop in front of him, only quickly glancing at her every few words.

"My parents were told they'd never conceive," he said quickly. "So you can imagine the shock when Mom found out she was pregnant. They'd been trying for years. And to top it all off, Dad had to go to Vietnam not one week after he was born. He missed the first five years of his life. When he came back, they got pregnant with me." He fiddled with his napkin a bit, but his eyes never left the counter. "But Dad felt so guilty about missing those five years that he tried to make it up to him. Unfortunately, that tended to leave me out of a lot of father/son activities. I turned sixteen the day Jared graduated college. He'd gotten a car for his sixteenth, but they completely forgot about mine." He sat back and ran a hand over his face. "I saw it coming, though. I had saved up enough from odd jobs and allowance that I went down and bought an old junker. I fixed it up pretty good, too."

"You said you like fixing old cars," she noted, recalling a long-past conversation. He nodded and opened his mouth to continue when Mae came over and set two plates of food down in front of them.

"Now, eat up," she ordered. "Then you, young man, need to take this young lady to town square. They finished the tree." He grinned and dug into his plate with gusto, causing Temperance to shake her head in confusion. She had no idea what tree they were obviously so pleased about, but she was not about to left behind by an overenthusiastic Seeley Booth.

She bid goodbye to the diner patrons as Seeley led her back out into the cold air. Once they were bundled up again, he offered his arm to her. This time she took it without protest and they strolled down the street at a quicker pace than before.

"Close your eyes," he instructed. She only hesitated a moment when she saw the eagerness in his face. She closed her eyes obediently, but tightened her grip on his arm. Wordlessly, he shifted it from her grasp to around her shoulders, reaching across to grab her hand with his free one. "I've got you," he whispered, leading her forward slowly. Once he'd positioned her right, he moved to stand behind her, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders. He leaned in, his breath warm and soothing against her cool skin.

"Okay," he said, and her eyes popped open. Immediately, her breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight before her. In the center of the square stood a tree that was at least twenty-five feet tall, decorating with every kind of Christmas decoration anyone could think of. There were lights twinkling in the approaching dusk, ribbons and tinsel adorning each bough. Ornaments covered every inch of the tree, and children were laughing and playing at its base.

"It's beautiful," she admitted, studying the tree as if it were a body on her exam table. "There seems to be a higher concentration of ornaments near the bottom," she stated, gesturing with her head.

"That's because everyone in the town hangs on ornament on the tree each year. It's a tradition." His tone was forlorn, like he was remembering a time too far passed. But when she turned around, his eyes were dancing with mischief and his hands were behind his back.

"What's that?" she asked, pointing.

"What?" he replied innocently. She pursed her lips, but couldn't fight their twitching as she pushed back a smile.

"The thing you're hiding behind your back," she said simply, and he shrugged. His arms came around to the front and she furrowed her brow at the simple-looking box. "What…" He pulled the lid off and she gasped.

Sitting neatly in the box were two ornaments. One was an angel with long flowing hair and a trumpet, dressed in white robes and the mandatory halo. The other was a city landscape – she didn't recognize the skyline, but Seeley's name underneath it probably made it Philadelphia. Her name – her given one – was scrawled in delicate script underneath the angel, and she carefully lifted it out of the box.

"Seeley…" she trailed off, letting the ornament dangle from her fingers, catching the light from the tree. "Thank you," she said, lifting her eyes to his. She caught a glimpse of an emotion she couldn't name, but just as quickly it was gone.

"Let's go hang them up," he suggested, leading her over to the tree. They waded through the playing children to the base, searching for the perfect spot. There were several spots big enough for one ornament, but after he'd pointed them out she shook her head.

"No, we need to find a spot for both of them together," she insisted, and he stopped for a moment to admire her before continuing the search.

"Perfect," she exclaimed as both ornaments hung side by side proudly. She looped her arm through his and leaned into him a little; her thanks for the wonderful gift.

"Let's get back to the cabin," he said, feeling her shiver from the dropping temperature. "It gets pretty cold when the sun goes down." She nodded and let him lead her back to the car, her arm never leaving his.

* * *

Three down, four to go. Please hit that blue button and let me know what you thought.


	4. O Holy Night

First, to _Hesitant Writer_, yes they are in fact getting a bit more OOC, but that's okay. If they didn't, I don't think we'd ever get as much fluff as we all need to survive. But thanks for the review! This one's for you.

Ok, I give fair warning: you will need a cavity filled after this chapter. I'm just telling you ahead of time so you can go ahead and call your dentist. That's it, pick up the phone, let them know you'll be in sometime after Christmas cuz you've got a whopper. There, now don't you feel better for having been proactive? Also, an extra long chapter for Christmas Eve!

_

* * *

O Holy Night_

**December 24, 2007:**

Temperance woke up feeling more relaxed than she had in a while. After the wonderful outing in town, they'd come back to the cabin and sat in front of a fire drinking hot chocolate and sharing stories from their childhood. She had always tried not to think about her life before her parents' disappearance. At first, it was a painful memory of the way things could never be again. Later, it was just useless nostalgia that her rational mind shoved away.

But sitting there with Seeley in front of the fire, with the rest of the cabin dark, he had laughed with her when she recalled how upset she'd been when told she would have to sit through sixth grade just like everyone else. And the memory of the good times didn't hurt like she'd thought it would, and she actually felt better for having shared it with him. So they continued swapping stories until they were both yawning through their retellings. He'd shooed her to bed, promising to douse the fire before he retired himself.

She stretched as she stood, limbering her muscles from their acquired stiffness. A nice long shower would do her good, and she gathered her things before heading to the bathroom. Seeley's door was still closed, so she assumed he was still asleep.

Once clean, she stepped out into the cooler hallway. Seeley's door was open now, but she couldn't hear or smell the telltale signs of breakfast. A brief search revealed an empty cabin, and she was about to bundle up and head out to search for him when she saw a note on the counter.

_Temperance,_

_I went to run a few errands – we forgot to shop yesterday. I'll bring back breakfast from town._

_Seeley_

She smiled and left the note where it was, instead moving to the sofa. The novel she'd been reading lay on the table, and she picked up the book as she settled into the cushions. She had barely immersed herself in the world of Mercy Thompson when the door opened and a very snowy Seeley shook off before stepping across the threshold. He was bearing three or four bags, but when she stood to help him he jumped.

"No! Stay there or you'll ruin the surprise." She sat back down, but she was now frowning.

"Surprise?" Part of her was a little upset that he'd done something for her – she hadn't the time to get him anything. But another part of her was excited; she hadn't had a Christmas surprise in too many years. He shuffled back to his room and deposited one of the bags, shutting his door firmly behind him. When he walked back out, she was sifting through the take-away back from the diner pulling out containers of eggs, pancakes, bacon, and various other breakfast foods. He began pulling out his shopping spoils and putting them away in the cupboard, including a few vegetarian meals for her.

"Mae just says heat this up in the oven for a few minutes," he said, rubbing his chilled hands together. He'd shed his coat and gloves, but he was still wearing his scarf.

"You trying to make a fashion statement?" she asked as she piled the food onto a cookie sheet. He looked up from where he was pre-heating the oven and gave her a confused look. Instead of just telling him, however, she mustered up the courage and closed the distance between them. She grabbed one end of the scarf and tugged lightly, her eyebrows raised in question. His eyes were fixed on her, however, so the tug was unexpected. He stumbled a little, pulling their bodies closer. Her bravado gone, Temperance backed up but she managed to save face by smiling a little and pouring them each a glass of orange juice.

Seeley stood there for a moment, wondering what had just happened. Had she really just been flirting with him? It was hard to tell with her; she was so very oblivious some times. He managed to push it to the back of his mind when the timer sounded. He pulled their food from the oven and divvied it up between two plates. The awkward moment seemed to have passed and they ate while they watched the news.

The storm seemed to have blanketed most of northern New England. Experts were predicting this to be the busiest shopping season in history. Someone robbed a Salvation Army outpost in Texas, and the local community responded in force – they now had twice as many toys, food, and money as before. Seeley sighed and switched the TV to off before grabbing their empty plates and rinsing them off.

"I'm going out for a run," he told her. "You wanna come or sit and read?" She thought about it for a moment and shook her head.

"I'll stay here." He nodded and went to his room to change clothes. When he came out in shorts and a sweatshirt she laughed. "You'll freeze," she warned him.

"Nah," he waved his hand. "I'll be fine. Used to run in Philly all the time in all kinds of weather. I shouldn't be more than thirty minutes." She nodded and retrieved her novel as he left the cabin. She could see him out the kitchen window stretching his legs and warming up before taking off down a trail. She watched his form until he disappeared behind the trees.

She sighed and opened the book, but her mind couldn't focus on the words. Instead she was thinking about her partner in not-so-partner-like ways. The past couple of days had been the most peaceful she'd had in a long time – she had to admit it was nice to get away for a while. She almost wished it would never end; that they could stay out here in the middle of Pennsylvania forever. But that was an impractical thought, she told herself. They had work to get back to – catching murderers, eating takeout, ignoring the tension that was so palpable between them. Sighing, she decided that if she couldn't read a novel she might as well get some work done on hers.

Moving back to her room she pulled out her laptop, unsurprised to find no internet connection in the remote cabin. But her word processor still worked and she laid down on her stomach, kicking her feet in the air behind her as she fleshed out another scene between her main characters.

She heard the front door open again and she froze for a second before remembering he had locked it behind him when he'd left and taken his key. She heard his footsteps down the hall and looked up when they stopped at her door.

"What are you working on?" he asked, leaning against the frame. His normally well-kept hair was damp with sweat and hung down on his head. The muscles in his legs were well-defined and tensed from their workout, and she suspected his chest and back were glistening as well. Shaking her head, she realized he'd repeated his question as she stared off at a point just to the left of his head.

"Sorry, I was thinking. It's just another scene. My editor is pressuring me for another novel, so I'm punting around a few ideas."

"Kicking," he corrected automatically, stepping back into his room. He raised his voice so she could still hear him as he gathered his things for a shower. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to go back into town this evening."

"Sure," she answered. "Any reason?"

"Part of the surprise," he answered, moving across the distance between his room and the bathroom with a mischievous smile. She shook her head and laughed at his childishness, but allowed it; it was the day before Christmas after all. She had to admit, so far Pennsylvania was beating Peru. _Of course_, the rational part of her brain jumped in, _you've actually never been to Peru so there's really no basis for comparison_.

Twenty minutes later, she had a rough outline of a few possible chapters, as well as a few ideas for murders. She had begun basing her crime scenes off of ones she'd actually been to – sometimes it was easier than walking through a crime step by step. And, she had to admit, writing out the crime details often put Booth's part of the process into sharper focus. She'd found she could better understand motive and the like when she was writing about it, and sometimes she did it during a real crime investigation to keep up with his "intuitive leaps."

Suddenly, of its own accord, her mind decided to focus in on the sound of the shower one room over. The image of her partner under the stream of water flashed across her internal vision and the temperature around her suddenly felt cooler as her body reacted. _Stop it Tempe!_ she scolded herself. _He's your partner, those are inappropriate thoughts_. But even she couldn't ignore what had been happening between them the past couple of days. She found that calling him by his first name hadn't been as hard as she'd thought it would be. It also put into stark contrast the differences between their working relationship and the developing one they had now. If nothing else, he was proving he could compartmentalize the two. _Great, so now I'm coming up with reasons _to_ be with him? What happened to all the reasons not to?_ As she thought about it, she could still think of several reasons why a romantic entanglement between them would be a bad idea, but the pros were slowly building up a solid defense against the cons.

Her gaze had shifted to the scene outside. The sun was on its way out, a little light still sifting through the canopy. Checking the clock, she was surprised to find it was after four in the afternoon. The shower shut off and she focused desperately on the dusk slowly covering the outdoors and not her partner's naked body emerging from the shower and toweling off.

_It's Christmas Eve, Temperance, get a grip_. She shook her head clear and returned to her laptop's screen as the bathroom door opened and he emerged clean and dry.

"You hungry?" he asked. She looked up and shook her head, but stood and followed him to the kitchen anyway. She stood watching as he made himself a sandwich and, for the most part, he let her. Every now and then he looked up and smiled, and on one occasion he winked at her. He enjoyed the flush that crept into her cheeks and set a goal to make her do it again at least once a day while they were here.

"So what are we doing later?" she fished. But apparently she wasn't as subtle as she thought (or maybe she was exactly as subtle as she thought) because he just kicked the corner of his mouth up into a smirk and shook his head.

"Not telling, Temperance," he promised. "But we'll be leaving soon."

"Back to town?" she said, her mind quickly doing a mental rummage through the clothes she brought. "I'll go get dressed," she said, but he stopped her.

"Hang on." He darted down the hall and grabbed the bag he'd deposited earlier. "Here, I noticed you didn't have too much heavy winter gear, so I got you this." She took the bag from him and held it open, examining its contents.

"A ski jacket?"

"It gets cold," he reasoned. "And the coat you brought isn't going to be good enough – we'll be out late. And of course you had to have gloves, a scarf, and a hat to go along with it." She pulled the red jacket from the bag and saw that he had indeed purchased an entire set of winter outer gear for her. The hat was the same color as the jacket, but the gloves and scarf were navy blue.

"Thank you, Seeley. It looks really warm," she agreed. Not knowing what else to say, she stowed the items back in the bag and excused herself to change. He'd said they'd be out late, so she pulled on a pair of long johns underneath her jeans to keep her legs warm. Pulling on her boots she tucked them under her pants legs and changed into a nice thick black sweater.

"Ready?" she heard him call through her door. She checked herself once more in the vanity mirror. She was wearing her mother's earrings, but had not brought any of her necklaces to wear. _It'll do_, she told herself and grabbed the bag containing her winter gear before opening the door.

Seeley was leaning against the wall wearing dark slacks and a dark blue shirt. He'd worn a black thermal underneath so he'd be warm, but at the moment both of them felt stifled in their winter clothes.

"You look…great," he managed. _There it is_, he grinned triumphantly as she smoothed out a nonexistent wrinkle and blushed.

"Thanks. You don't look half bad yourself," she shot back, causing him to spread his hands wide and turn in a circle.

"This old thing? I just threw it on," he joked, grabbing her arm. "Come on, let's get this show on the road." They were silent as they donned their outer wear, and Temperance was content with watching the sun set behind the snow-covered trees as Seeley drove them toward town.

As they pulled up to Main Street she noticed there were a lot more people milling about than before. She wondered if everyone in the town had put off their Christmas shopping till the last minute before she realized they were all headed in the same direction: town square. Booth parked the Trailblazer and moved quickly around to help her down onto the sidewalk.

As if by an unspoken agreement, she slipped her arm through his and he moved his hand to cover hers. It was becoming commonplace for them now and Temperance found that she wasn't totally adverse to the idea. They joined the throng of people flocking to the large tree in the middle of town. Once they arrived it seemed like a large family reunion as people mingled and hugged each other like they hadn't just seen each other earlier that day. Temperance looked up at Seeley with the question in her eyes. He answered it before she asked.

"Every Christmas Eve the whole town gathers here," he explained. "They hand out mugs of hot chocolate and when the sun goes down someone starts the carols. It's…nice." As if on cue a woman sidled up with a tray full of mugs.

"Get em while they're hot!" she joked, and Seeley plucked two from her. "Merry Christmas," she called over her shoulder as she moved away.

"Seeley, Temperance!" a familiar voice called, and they turned to greet Mae. Trailing her was a man and woman in their forties and a slew of children ranging from the one year old on her hip to the teenager sulking in the back with headphones on. Mae pulled them both in for a hug, then Seeley turned to the man.

"Chaz, Melissa, good to see you. And is this Wesley? I hardly recognize him!" The man clapped Seeley on the shoulder and introduced the rest of his brood. Seeley held out his hand and Temperance found herself taking it before thinking about it.

"Who is this?" Chaz asked with interest.

"This is my friend, Temperance Brennan," he said. "She's joining me for a lonely Christmas."

"I heard about your parents and Jared," Chaz agreed. "Is there enough food? I thought it would be just you."

"We're fine," Seeley answered, waving his friend off.

"Chaz!" a voice called from across the square. The older man smiled politely and waved before turning back to Seeley.

"Gotta make the rounds, Seel," he said. "It was good to meet you Temperance. Keep your eyes open with that one."

"I will," she promised, her hand still firmly entangled within Seeley's. He stepped closer as the crowd seemed to swell and gather around them. The last light of day slipped behind the horizon and a quiet settled over the congregation. Their hot chocolate gone, Seeley took their mugs and set them on a table behind them. As soon as he was back by her side, she slipped an arm through his and stepped closer. He smiled down at her, her blue eyes sparkling with happiness.

"_Silent Night, Holy Night, all is calm, all is bright._" Someone started singing, and soon everyone had joined in. At first she didn't sing. She listened as the entire town as one stood around the tree and lifted their voices. Even Seeley seemed so relaxed as his steady voice joined those around him. As the song faded out, another took its place.

"_Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum…_" As the song continued, Temperance began humming along. She felt herself be swept away in the camaraderie around her, the feeling that came over her as she realized she was taking part in a tradition that had probably been around for ages.

As the adults continued the song, the children began echoing the _pa-rum-pum-pum-pum_'s filling the air with an angels' chorus. Once all three verses were sung and the hum died down, the air was still. Temperance had no idea what song was next, but someone must have been directing up front otherwise there was no telling how many hymns would start at once. A strong female's voice pierced the silence and as one the crowd took a sharp breath.

"_Oh holy night, the stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear Savior's birth._" By some tacit signal, everyone remained quiet as she belted the first verse and chorus. When she started again, the multitude joined in, repeating what she had already sung.

At some point during the song, Seeley had shifted to stand just behind her. As _O Holy Night_ died out she leaned back against him, sure of his stability. Wordlessly he wrapped his arms around her middle and she rested her hands on his, letting her head fall to his shoulder. She felt the vibration of his voice against her back and she closed her eyes, listening to the masses sing _Oh Come All Ye Faithful_. She found that while she didn't really know the Christian hymns being sung, she enjoyed their sound and the warm feeling that was welling up inside her. Eventually they moved on to more secular songs, and _Winter Wonderland _filled the air. Temperance found that she knew most of them, and she felt Seeley's arms tighten around her momentarily when she began singing along to _I'll Be Home for Christmas._

The only lights were the ones coming from the large tree, and she opened her eyes for a moment to observe the townspeople. They stood in family groups, some in twos and threes, other in huddles of ten or twelve. But they were all holding hands or hugging or touching intimately; and at that moment she felt such a sense of homecoming rise up inside her.

She turned in Seeley's arms and wrapped hers around his neck, realizing that despite the below freezing temperatures she had never felt more warm or secure. He smiled and held onto her, unsure as to what caused her sudden change in attitude but unwilling to say anything about it. Going with the flow, he pressed a kiss on top of her head. She turned her head so she was effectively nuzzling his neck and her arms moved to his shoulders as if they were dancing there in the snow. His deep tenor picked up the latest song and he sang it softly, just to her.

"_Through the years we all will be together, if the fates allow. Hang a shining star upon the highest bough. And have yourself a merry little Christmas now._" He felt rather than saw her smile, and he sent a prayer of thanks heavenward for the opportunity to just hold her.

One of the kids started up _Rudolph_ and the adults were content with allowing the kids to sing their tune. When that ended, _Frosty_ soon followed, then _Jingle Bells_. As that one wound down, a stereo kicked on somewhere and the tree suddenly came to life. A brighter strand of colored lights began flashing in time to the music as _Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree _began. The town began dancing as one, frolicking and dancing around the tree. Seeley managed to pull Temperance into the swing and they were laughing and holding hands as they circled around. _Jingle Bell Rock_ soon followed and Temperance pulled them both out of the throng before they were trampled by holiday enthusiasts. They were sweating in their heavy coats but grinning like fools and Seeley pulled her close to him again, already missing the feel of her against him.

"Thank you for this," she whispered into his neck. For the second time that night he quickly kissed her head and rubbed her back.

"You're welcome. Merry Christmas Temperance."

"Merry Christmas, Seeley," she returned, pulling her head back to gaze into his eyes. The colorful lights from the tree were reflected on his brown irises, and she thought he'd never looked better. Before she thought too much about it and stopped herself, she stood up on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his. If he was shocked, he recovered well as his arms snaked around her waist and pulled her flush with his body. The kiss was relatively short, and almost intimately chaste, but Temperance could have sworn time had stopped for a moment.

When she pulled away his eyes were still closed and she felt a surge of happiness at the content expression on his face at that moment. "What's next?" she asked. He looked at her in surprise, and she clarified. "I mean, what's after this?" she gestured to the people still dancing around the tree. Shaking his head at her unintentional double entendre he grabbed her hand and led her back to the SUV. Their pace was leisurely, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. As he held her door open and guided her into her seat, he shot her a wink.

"I guess we're gonna find out, Temperance," he said quickly, then shut her door. She couldn't help the laugh at his boyish expression, and felt nothing but happiness and relief. She'd taken the first step, and the world hadn't ended. The sky hadn't collapsed and the earth didn't spin off its axis. And as she watched the dark scenery roll by and she felt Seeley take her hand as he drove, she felt like she could walk on water.

* * *

You had fair warning. I hope everyone has an enjoyable Christmas Eve/morning. Tear up presents like there's no tomorrow! Oh, and since my family did Christmas yesterday, I'll have no presents to open tomorrow. But reviews would make me feel a whole bunch better about it! 


	5. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

_Andy_ you are absolutely right. PA is in fact NOT in New England. Oops. I tell you, the way it is here, everything north of the Mason-Dixon line is NE. ;P But thank you. For your astute observation skills, this one's for you.

_

* * *

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas_

**December 25, 2007:**

A sound woke Temperance early Christmas morning. The clock by her bed told her it was almost three – she'd been asleep for nearly four hours. She laid and listened for a few more moments, hoping it was Seeley getting a glass of water. But the noise was coming from _outside _the cabin, so she stood up as quietly as she could and slipped her feet into her boots.

When she opened her door quietly, she stifled a gasp with her hand. Seeley was standing just outside her door in pajama pants with a serious expression on his face. His hand shot out to still her, ushering her back into her room. She shook her head at him – he ought to have known better by now.

He took a few steps forward and she was only a little surprised to find that even listening for them she couldn't hear his footsteps. His silence coupled with the tension in his posture and the unreadable expression on his face measured up to a deadly image. The sight of "Ranger Seeley" stopped her in her tracks and she watched him stalk down the hall, hugging the wall. His gun materialized from nowhere and he spared one glance at her down the hall. His meaning was clear: _Don't move._

Neither was certain who was more shocked when she nodded and complied. He slunk across the living room and paused by the door, listening for any sounds. There was a loud scuffling just outside and he craned his head up to check the peephole. Unfortunately, the cloud cover blocked out any natural light, so he was met with blackness. He crept to the window and peered out, trying to discern shapes in the dark. As his eyes adjusted he made out a large form roaming around. _Strange_, he thought, _bears are usually denned up this time of year_. Thinking perhaps the mother had followed their trail back from the other day, he stepped back from the door. Silently he moved back down the hall.

"Bear," he whispered. "She'll go away when she realizes there's no food." Temperance nodded and felt her heart lighten as his posture visibly shifted from alertness to exhaustion. He yawned and shook his head to clear it. "Time to go back to bed," he said quietly, breaking the silence completely.

"I thought bears hibernated in the winter," she said, her scientist's mind already asking a dozen questions.

"Sometimes they come out on warmer days to scavenge food. The cubs we saw were pretty young, but they're usually not born until January. Those cubs were at least eight weeks old. It's unusual, but not unheard of. Last spring was rather warm, so they may have mated early." Her smile was crooked and full of amusement, and even he had to chuckle at their sudden role reversal. Reaching out, he brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and smiled.

"Merry Christmas, Temperance." She echoed him as they parted ways and climbed into their separate beds.

Several hours later she opened her eyes and blinked against the early morning sunlight. A peace settled over her as she realized it was Christmas morning. But this time, she wasn't alone. She had no idea what to expect, but she knew that whatever it was she could deal with it as long as Seeley was with her. She rolled out of bed and stretched, working the stiffness in her muscles set in by the late night adrenaline. She decided not to change and left her tank top and flannel pants on. Seeley was already up and the smell of pancakes filled the hallway as she padded to the living room. He smiled and handed her a cup of coffee, obviously unsure about what to do now. Ever the good partner, she saved him and planted a chaste kiss on his lips as she grabbed the mug and took a tentative sip. He seemed pleasantly shocked and she stifled a giggle as he almost burned the last pancake.

"So," he said as he set a plate of pancakes in front of her. She braced herself to answer some tough questions about their future and took a deep breath before looking up. He held up the items in his hands and jiggled them as he spoke. "Maple or blueberry?" She laughed, her eyes thanking him for lightening the mood and she snagged the maple from his left hand. He drowned his stack in blueberry syrup and began scarfing it down.

"So what do we do?" she asked around a mouthful. He stilled for a moment before shrugging.

"What do you want to do?" She heard his fear hidden cleverly behind a wall of nonchalance, and she set her fork down to lean in closer.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Seeley," she told him. "I've been wondering about…this for a while," she gestured between them. "I'm fairly certain I didn't even notice it until after Sully left. But since then…" she trailed off, letting him think about it.

"New Orleans," he told her, and her eyes widened. She hadn't realized he'd been feeling something that long.

"The earring," she clarified, and he nodded. "I still think that was incredibly stupid." He just shrugged and took another bite.

"It all comes down to the same question, Temperance," he said, leveling an intense stare at her. "What do we do?" She finished her plate and her milk, taking the precious seconds to formulate an answer.

"We open presents," she said, standing to place her dishes in the sink. He nodded solemnly, as if he were expecting some sort of let down. But as his brain processed her words he jumped up beside her.

"What?" He was completely confused now.

"We open presents," she repeated simply. "Look, I brought two presents for you. One was a flashy tie that I was going to give you. The other…it's a little more personal. And I feel that if we're going to pursue this we should feel free to be as personal as possible. I honestly don't think I would have given it to you if this hadn't happened." She stated all this as if she were lecturing to a symposium. Unable to contain himself, he wrapped her in his arms and swung her around jubilantly, laughing in her ear. When he set her down he kissed her soundly, letting a little of his pent up passion seep into the kiss. When he pulled back he saw that her eyes had darkened to a deep blue and he could feel the heat rising from her body.

"Be right back," he exclaimed, then skipped away down the hall to retrieve her present. She followed him at a leisurely pace, laughing at the sight of him rummaging through his bags fervently. She pulled both wrapped packages from her bag. One of them had _Booth_ scrawled in her neat handwriting on the tag next to a red bow. The other was blank, as if its giver couldn't decide to whom to address it. She joined him in the living room as he started a fire and put on a Christmas CD softly in the background. He also had two presents, though one of them had _Bones_ written in a childish scrawl that had to have been Parker's.

Wordlessly they handed the packages across with shy smiles. Temperance opened Parker's first, laughing at the picture of him standing in front of the Jeffersonian's prehistoric exhibit, presumably taken on his class' field trip. He was waving enthusiastically at the camera, his eyes bright with wonder. Seeley had pulled the red and green checkered tie from the box and slung it around his neck in a very odd fashion statement. She looked up and laughed again; she couldn't recall a time where she'd laughed as much in one week.

"Tell Parker thank you," she told him, helping him pull the tie over his head. With the first presents out of the way, they hesitated only moments before picking up the others. _Temperance_ was written neatly on the tag just above the ribbons, and the shape and size suggested it was framed, probably a small painting. She was about to open it when he shook his head and reached down, producing a card.

"You know you're supposed to read the card first," he admonished, earning him a light slap on his hands as she took the envelope from him. It felt a little too heavy to hold a card, and she opened it only a little warily. The card came out, but something else fell from it onto her lap. She set the traditional holiday card aside and lifted the object from to inspect it more closely.

"Is this real?" she asked, her voice hushed.

"All yours," he answered. "It took a lot of paperwork and even more finagling, but it's all yours." She held up the FBI Affiliates Security Badge proudly. "I, uh, had to get Angela in on it to get your picture for it; hope you don't mind." She shook her head, still reeling in the knowledge that she wouldn't have to stop for a visitor's badge anymore whenever she went into the FBI.

"Thank you," she told him, but he waved her off.

"That was actually a gift from me and the squints – I had to get Zach to distract you long enough to sign it without realizing what it was. And Jack has some friends in high places. This," he said, retrieving the wrapped package from beside her and dropping it in her waiting hands, "is from me."

She pulled the wrapping off and gasped – it wasn't a painting after all. Instead it was a collage of photographs of her and her family as a child, some of her colleagues, and a large photo of the two of them in the center. Around each photo was an appropriate quote, and she smiled as she read each one.

Her parents were smiling underneath _The family is one of nature's masterpieces._ She recognized the quote from _The Life of Reason_ and smiled. The next had she and Russ running through sprinklers with child-like abandon. _Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet_ was scrawled around the photo in a childish font. Angela had the apt "A good friend is cheaper than therapy" under her photo, and her smile was both comforting and secretive, as if she was sharing something with her. _Poor Zach_, she thought as she saw someone had just called his name and snapped a photo somewhere in the lab. _Research is what I do when I don't know what I'm doing_, seemed to ring true for the photo and she laughed.

Hodgins had apparently been ready for his photo because he was wearing regular clothes and leaning up against an old barn that looked like a prop for a photography studio. She looked in up question, and Seeley shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't look at me. I just asked Angela for a photo." She laughed and read the quote underneath Jack's picture: _Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you._

Just to the right of center was a picture of Seeley and Parker, smiling and waving at the camera. It looked like they were in a park, and her memories rushed back as she remembered how they'd barged into the lab one bright Saturday afternoon in the fall and dragged her from her work out into the sunshine. _There are a million ways to lose a work day, but not even a single way to get one back_. It seemed to fit, and she remembered having a lot of fun that day.

To the left of center was a picture of her in her office, diligently bent over her manuscript. The expression on her face was different from the one she usually wore while looking at remains, and Temperance found that she couldn't properly identify it. She probably hadn't even been aware someone was photographing her. _A good novel tells us the truth about its hero_. She smiled ruefully and shook her head; the quote seemed so appropriate.

There was another picture of all of them together at Sid's. She remembered being upset at Seeley for some reason or another, and he had just used his charm smile on her to get her to pose anyway. The remnants of that smile had carried over into the picture, along with a mixture of his happy smile and his cocky smile. He had his arm draped around her shoulders and Angela had reached over and grabbed her hand. Jack was holding on to Angela and, surprisingly, Seeley had an open hand on Zach's shoulder in a friendly-but-superior manner. _The ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree but to hold hands_.

Her eyes moved to the center picture, the one of just her and Seeley. She had absolutely no idea when someone had snapped it, or when he'd gotten it for that matter, but someone had caught them as they sang softly last night. He was standing behind her with his arms around her middle, her hands on top. She was completely relaxed against him with her eyes closed, and he had a tender smile on his face as he looked down at her. Her fingers traced the lines of the quote…their quote.

_Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction._

She couldn't think of a better quote for the two of them, and her vision blurred as tears filled her eyes. "Thank you, Seeley. I love it." She knew just where she'd put it: just across the way from her bed so it was the first thing she saw every morning.

She wiped her eyes discreetly and gestured to the box in his lap. His soft expression morphed into one she'd once seen on Parker as he'd gotten exactly what he wanted for his birthday. Seeley's hands tore into the paper indiscriminately, pulling the offending wrapping away from his gift.

She had been thinking for some time about their exact situation, and what she would do if either of them decided to take the next step in their relationship and cross that line. On a particularly rare night when she was at home and not working she had been surfing aimlessly around the internet. When she stumbled across it, she'd known it was perfect. Problem was she'd had no intention of giving it to him at the time. But Temperance Brennan was never one to pass up an opportunity to be prepared (or to save thirty percent).

When Seeley had asked her along to Pennsylvania, she'd gone home and thought a lot about what he'd said and what Angela had said. On an impulse (or was that foresight?) she'd wrapped the gift and tossed it into her bag next to the tie. Now she was thankful she had as she saw both confusion and excitement in his features.

He pulled both velvet boxes from the wrapping, palming the black one in his left hand and the white one in his right. Never in a million years would he have guessed she'd get him jewelry of all things. But displaying her uncanny ability to read him and only him, she shook her head.

"They're not rings," she said quickly, noting the relief and confusion on his face at the same time. "But I thought we needed something to symbolize our partnership – and not just our professional one now." Quickly he set the boxes aside and took her hands.

"Temperance, I think we're on the same page, but sometimes your brilliance is seventeen steps ahead of me." Rolling her eyes in mock-desperation she looked directly into his eyes.

"I want to try this," she told him firmly. "To be honest, it scares the hell out of me," she said in answer to his next unasked question. "But I think that, with as good as we are now, we'll be better. I'm not an easy person to be with, Seeley. I work long hours, and I'm –"

"Stubborn as hell, and you're always right. Temperance I've known you for three years. We've been friends for most of it, and close friends for a while now. I'm not sure there's anything about me you don't know. And if there's something about you I don't know I will spend the rest of my life learning."

"I can't promise you all the things you want–" this time one of his hands moved from hers to silence her physically.

"Everything I want is everything that you are," he told her simply, and any other argument she'd had died on her tongue. Instead she swallowed loudly and nodded at the discarded gift.

"Aren't you going to open them?"

"Which one first?" he answered, picking up both boxes again. She reached across and pulled the white box from him.

"Actually, this one's mine," she told him, gesturing for him to open the black one. He pried the lid open and smiled. The silver pendant was small – about the size of his Saint Christopher – and the turquoise gem that sat in the middle was even smaller. But it was her name scrawled in delicate script underneath it along the bottom curve of the pendant that made him smile. _Her birthstone_, he deduced and he pulled the necklace from the box delicately. The chain attached was sterling silver like the pendant, and had a masculine quality to it. As the necklace turned in his hand his eye caught an inscription on the back. Peering closer, it was his turn to fight back tears.

_Pulse of my heart_, he read silently. When he looked up she'd pulled her matching necklace from its place. He smiled at the emerald stone above his name, and his eyes found the same inscription on the back of hers. Wordlessly, he worked the chain behind his neck and fastened it securely. When he was done she held hers out to him and turned around, holding her hair away from her neck.

He draped the necklace around her, his fingers deliberately brushing the bare skin of her shoulders and neck. When he fastened it he couldn't fight the urge anymore. Leaning forward, he placed a soft kiss just above the clasp, his lips lingering just a little longer than he'd intended. He pulled her hands away from her hair and urged her back onto the couch, leaning against his chest.

"Thank you," he murmured, letting her scent filled him.

"You're welcome," he heard her reply. It wasn't long before they were dozing comfortably in each other's arms.

* * *

They both woke a few hours later completely content to lie there all day. But Seeley had other plans and he urged her up and dressed before she could protest. 

"Where are we going?" she asked when they didn't immediately head for the car. He grabbed her hand and pulled her next to him, reveling in the freedom to touch her whenever he wanted.

"Just over there a ways," he said, pointing ahead of them. "It's just after noon, and all the kids will be gathering for their annual snow ball war at one."

"We're not participating are we?" she asked warily, wondering what exactly he had planned. But he just laughed and shook his head.

"No, we're not allowed. Apparently all the kids formed some sort of committee and voted to keep everyone over the age of fifteen out of the fights. We just get to watch the kids having fun on Christmas." He couldn't hold back his laugh at her relieved expression, though he still smiled broadly even as she elbowed him through the layers of warmth.

They came upon a clearing and Temperance gasped at the sheer beauty. A few people were already gathered, preparing the cocoa and coffee for the upcoming outdoor activities. The river had frozen over, but there were still logs and things in the way to warn the kids from wandering over toward the ice-covered water.

Predictably Seeley and Temperance were roped into helping set up the tables. Soon more people began arriving and, as the kids began gathering, teams began to form. Temperance watched them divide with the interest of a scientist. It seemed each team favored a different strategy. A few were going with power, taking all the bigger kids. Another was apparently going to try the hide-and-pounce maneuver and needed the smaller kids for that. Yet another was going with sheer numbers, as for each older kid one team chose another was allowed two younger kids. Soon the adults had good seats and the kids broke off.

Per the rules, each team was allowed ten minutes to build a stronghold, then a whistle would sound. Little bodies scrambled to build piles of snow, ice, and whatever else would work. Chaz stood up after ten minutes and let out a shrill whistle, causing a loud surge to emerge from the forest.

It seemed the "sheer numbers" group had foregone building a fort and had spent ten minutes stockpiling ammunition. They came out firing and took out quite a few older kids that couldn't find adequate cover in time. Some of the younger kids needed to work on their aim (or used that excuse to pelt their parents a few times, anyway). The war was in full swing with kids screaming and shouting, and adults laughing and talking. Temperance was talking with Chaz's wife Melissa on her left so intently she didn't hear the scream of the child who had wandered across the warning logs. But she did notice when Seeley jumped up from his seat and sprinted across the field, clearing the logs in one jump. The river seemed to have broken through a bit, and a boy no older than six was thrashing about in the icy water. Seeley didn't think twice; he peeled off his coat, gloves, scarf, and hat in a split second and dove in. He fought the gasp as his heated skin contacted the freezing water. He forced his limbs to work as he sliced through the water toward the terrified child. Quickly, he wrapped the boy in his arms and directed him to hang on. With the boy latched firmly around his neck, he began moving back toward shore. The current was furious now after being released from its icy bonds and it threatened to take them under a few times. But each time Seeley pushed forward and neared the snow covered bank.

The war had stopped completely and the entire town had gathered whatever spare blankets and coats they could find. Several men were following them along the shore, ready to pull them out as soon as they got close enough. And Temperance was beside herself with worry, following the mass of men as Seeley's head and shoulders bobbed through the water. She could see him shivering already and knew he couldn't be in the water too much longer.

But God seemed to be favoring them, and Seeley caught a glimpse of an outcropped branch. He carefully detached the boy from his neck and in a precise move deposited him on the branch as they passed. Three men scrambled out and retrieved the freezing boy, wrapping him in blankets and coats as his mother and father cried with relief. But Seeley had missed grabbing the branch and was still fighting the growing current. His legs were losing feeling so he trusted that they were there as he took mighty steps through the water. With one last Herculean effort he lunged for the shore and was grabbed by no less than five hands. They hauled him to shore and covered him quickly, his body already shaking violently in the cold air. Temperance fell down beside him, her hands roaming his frigid face. His eyes fluttered open and he managed a smile through blue lips. She leaned in and kissed him soundly, letting her relief pour out into it.

"You can't go one week without saving someone?" she chided lightly, though she knew he was far from danger. They needed to get him warm quickly. Four of the men lifted the blankets he was on like some litter, and Temperance took charge.

"Our cabin's not too far – you think you can carry him?" They all nodded firmly and she ignored the worried murmurs of onlookers as she led the procession through the clearing and back onto the path. She spared a glance to note that they were driving the boy away in a van accompanied by his family and a man who looked like a doctor.

It had taken the two of them twenty minutes at a leisurely pace, but Temperance all but force-marched the men back. Ten minutes later she was shedding her outer clothing and directing them to put Seeley in the bathtub.

"Do we need to fetch the doc?" one of them asked, and she shook her head as she ran lukewarm water first.

"No, I'm a doctor," _not a complete lie_, "I'll take care of him." They nodded and shuffled their feet, not completely willing to just leave. "Really, you can go. Leave me a number to call someone if I need something." The oldest man stepped forward and squeezed her shoulder; he could sense her underlying panic.

"I'll leave my number and doc's number," he said. "Seeley's a tough kid, he'll be alright. Let's go boys," he ushered the other three out of the bathroom and out the door, pausing only scribble a few lines underneath Seeley's note from the other day.

Temperance waited until they were gone before taking a deep breath. At some point she knew she would have to peel the wet clothes from his body. She knew she shouldn't feel embarrassed – it really wasn't anything she hadn't seen before. But this was Seeley and things were…well, not awkward but definitely different with him. After a few minutes of debate she drained the now slightly less than warm water out of the tub, noting his temperature was warming. Carefully she managed to lift his upper torso enough to pull his two shirts off. The pants, she feared, would be the hard part and there was no way around it. She pulled on her doctor persona and began unbuckling his belt and pants with a clinical detachment. Once that was done she ran the water a little warmer and used the buoyancy of the water to lift him enough to shuck the drenched fabric. It landed with the shirts in a wet heap on the tile floor and Temperance focused her attention on his face.

His lips were less blue, but it was clear he was still severely hypothermic. Once the water was full, she began massaging his shoulders and chest, trying to warm his blood enough to keep him from the danger of heart failure. After a few minutes she drained the water and filled it again, this time raising the temperature a little more.

After repeating this three more times, he began to stir. His eyes fluttered open a little and she brushed some hair away from his forehead. He still shivered a little as his body tried to right itself, and she leaned in a little closer as she realized he was trying to ask something about the boy.

"Shh," she soothed, "he's fine. You got him to safety, remember?" He nodded faintly and tried to drift off, but she shook his shoulder. "No, don't sleep just yet. I need you to try and stand up. I'll help you to bed." It was a testament to his predicament that he just smiled wryly. She silently thanked him for not making an inappropriate comment; her self-restraint was being pushed to its limits already. She grabbed a towel from the rack and held it out as the water slowly drained away. Once it was gone she draped it over his lower half and reached down to help him stand.

It took a bit of teamwork and just a little embarrassment, but soon he was comfortably underneath several blankets. She kicked the thermostat up a few degrees just to be safe as he slept soundly. Knowing he'd probably sleep through most of the night she quickly changed into flannel pants and shirt, made a sandwich for herself (and put two in the fridge for him when he woke), and settled down to read.

Sometime before midnight she heard him cursing and a loud thump. She scrambled off the couch and hurried down the hall to help him. He had apparently underestimated the effect of hypothermia on his already fatigued muscles and his knees had promptly given out as he tried to stand up. His head and shoulders were visible on the other side of the bed as she smiled and crossed her arms across her chest.

"You okay?" she asked, her tone both concerned and amused.

"Fine," he grumbled. "Why am I naked?" he asked quickly, pulling a blanket around him as he stood up.

"You were hypothermic so I had to get you out your wet clothes. I ran a few baths for you to gradually heat your system up so you didn't go into shock and die."

"Thanks," he shot back sarcastically, instantly regretting it. "Sorry."

"I'm not much of a good patient myself," she shrugged. "You hungry?"

"Yes," his stomach sounded with his affirmation.

"Sandwiches in the fridge. But you probably want to get dressed." She shot a wry smile over her shoulder as she walked back out to the living room. He emerged minutes later wearing Army sweats that looked very old and very comfortable. He wolfed down the sandwiches in what Temperance believed to be a record time and then rested his head back against the couch cushions. After a few moments of silence, he laughed deep in his throat, causing her to glance up from her book. At her questioning look, he smiled and closed his eyes.

"That's definitely not how I envisioned you seeing me naked for the first time," he admitted, causing her to chuckle as well.

"Oh yeah? How did you imagine it?" She saw his throat working as he swallowed and took a breath. His eyes were still closed and his head still laid back, as if were staring at the ceiling through his eyelids.

"A nice date, right after our one month anniversary. We'd be at my place with wine and soft music. I'd ask you to dance, and you'd laugh but agree anyway. Then you'd kiss me. Soft at first, but you want more so I give it to you. Eventually we'd end up in my bed, and we'd break the laws of physics. And you'd get to show me just how good you are." She smiled as she, too, remembered the somewhat awkward (for him anyway) conversation in his office with Sam Reilly the Disgruntled Agent. Her mind replayed the scenario just the way he'd described it. She had to admit it sounded almost perfect. _Almost_.

"_I'd_ kiss _you_, huh?"

"I'm a perfect gentleman, Bones," he joked, realizing his faux pas. "Temperance."

"It's okay," she told him, setting her book and down scooting to sit beside him. His arm snaked out and trapped her against his body as he shifted their positions so they were lying side by side on the sofa. "I've kind of gotten used to it."

His low chuckle rumbled against her ear. She heard him take a few deep breaths before they became shallow and steady. Her hand moved to his neck and pulled the silver chain from underneath the sweatshirt, fingering the pendant reverently. She traced her name quickly, then ran her thumb over the turquoise gem before flipping it over and reading the back. His heartbeat thudded in her ear, a steady cadence of reassurance that he was here and alive. It didn't take her long to join him in slumber, her fingers still closed around the necklace.

* * *

For those of you who read _The Boy in the Playground_, you may now be wondering, "What is it with Awahili's obsession with plunging Seeley Booth into sub-freezing water?" I can honestly answer, I have no idea - but you have to admit the aftermath is fun.

Okay, now it's up to you (apparently I'm a very diplomatic writer). There are two versions of the next chapter written and one of them is going to be rated M or at least close to it. So you get your choice: fluff with a bit of smut or fluff without it.

…

I cannot believe I just asked that question.slaps forehead Oh well, damage is done. Just vote and let me know what you think.


	6. All I Want for Christmas is You

Alright, everybody gets another fair warning. This chapter is rated _**M**_ (just being cautious) due to an overwhelming vote. Ask and ye shall receive. You know, within reason…Also, I think this story holds a personal record for largest jump in rating between chapters. So yay me.

This is my first attempt at an M- or near M-rated anything, so please let me know how I did, and perhaps anything I can do to make it better.

* * *

_All I Want for Christmas_

**26 December, 2007:**

It was dark when he woke again, and his chest and arms felt heavy from exhaustion. Upon further inspection, it seemed the heaviness was due in no small part to the woman sleeping soundly wedge firmly between him and the back of the couch. The blinds hadn't been closed and the moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating her face in a reverent glow.

Closing his eyes, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. His mind replayed the events from yesterday and he briefly remembered hearing her voice calling to him as he cut through the icy water. She had been terrified for him and, oddly enough, that thought comforted him.

Suddenly he remembered that they would be returning to DC the next day. _One more day_, he told himself. Would she want to forget about this week completely? Be like Angela and Kirk – only being with each other one week out of the year? He prided himself on his ability to properly assess body language, tone inflection, and a slew of other indicators to let him know exactly how a person thinks, feels, and reacts to certain circumstances. Over the years he'd gotten better and better at reading her moods and thoughts. But at the moment were his desire and hope were blinding him? The clock in the kitchen chimed five and he decided to sleep a little more; when she woke so would he. He shifted a bit, scooting so that she was lying firmly on top of him as he wrapped his arms tighter around her body. As he drifted back to sleep he felt her hands clutch his shirt tighter, and he smiled.

He felt her stirring against him, trying to remove herself without waking him. But his Ranger senses made that impossible, so he just tightened his grip and pretended to be asleep. Sighing deeply, she pushed against him a little more forcefully.

"I need to go get in the shower," she told him. "It's almost nine." He made a discontented sound in the back of his throat, rolling so that she was effectively blocked between him and the couch.

Temperance shook her head at him, but found that she enjoyed this playful side of him. He was strong; she had to give him that as her hands moved from his shoulders to his chest. She pushed again but he just pulled her closer to him and nuzzled his face into her hair. Suddenly, she couldn't remember why she had wanted to get up in the first place as his breath caressed her neck. Her hands moved of their own accord to the hem of his sweatshirt and brushed against his hard abs underneath.

The air around them became charged as he pulled his head back to look in her eyes. Lowering his head back down, he captured her lips with his, the sweet chaste kiss of Christmas Eve completely forgotten. Seeley knew he couldn't go back to DC and the way things were before; he had simply had too much of her now to ever settle for less. He used his left arm to prop himself above her and his right shifted down her body to settle just above the back of her knee. He squeezed firmly, pulling her leg up and over his body to give his more room to work. His knees were between hers now and his hands moved back up to slip underneath the hem of her shirt to the warm flesh of her back. Her hands were exploring as well, teasing the taut muscles of his stomach and lower back with tortuous motion.

He felt her tongue brush against his mouth and he opened eagerly, wanting to drink in as much of her as he could. His left arm was beginning to ache and he knew he would collapse on top of her if he tried to hold himself up any longer. But he found he didn't want to move from the couch just now so in one quick motion he gripped her waist firmly and rotated. She landed on top of him completely straddling his waist, but their mouths never parted.

She laid herself fully against him, feeling every inch of him respond to her touch. The sweatpants he was wearing did absolutely nothing to hide his desire from her, and she was silently thankful for her flannel pants as her lower half settled on top of him and she gasped at the intimate contact through the fabric. He took the opportunity to kiss his way down her jaw line to her neck, his hands deftly undoing only the top few buttons of her flannel top as he continued to her collarbone. His hands were almost painfully tight on her waist as he rocked her up and down his body, unable to stop his hips from rising slowly as she pressed back down on him.

"Seeley," she breathed, and he let out a noise that was somewhere between a moan and a growl at the sound. Had her tone been hesitant, or confused, or – God forbid – fearful he would have stopped immediately, apologized profusely, and practically begged her for forgiveness. But the sheer desperation and wont he heard in her voice spurred him on and he repeated the motion a little more forcefully.

This time the moan came from somewhere in her throat and he caught it with his mouth as his fingers slipped briefly under her waistband. When she deepened the kiss in response he took it as a sign and let his hand move firmly past the top of the pants to grab on to her bare bottom, pressing her into him.

It was her turn to growl as they continued exploring, eventually divesting themselves of their tops completely. Occasionally they would still, the only motion the slow rocking of their hips. Temperance felt the warmth building up inside her and her breath became shallow and quick. Seeley quickly reversed their positions again, sliding his hand under her panties as his other held his weight above her.

She made a long, low sound of contentment as his fingers entered her. His face was screwed up in concentration as he brought her to the edge. She crashed over it crying his name, and he committed her face at that exact moment to memory. Never one to take without giving, Temperance – still in the throes of passion – reached out and ran her fingernails feather-light over his abs, eliciting a low hiss from him as he pulled his hand from her and used it to brace himself. When her hand moved from his abs to his pants, he grabbed it quickly and shook his head.

"Seeley," her voice was low, but he heard the need in her tone and felt it mirrored in his body. Almost tortuously slow he placed his hands on her flannel pants and began sliding them down her legs, taking her panties with them. The early morning sun lent a serene glow to her flushed skin and as he moved back up her body he kissed her knees, her thighs, her stomach, and each breast reverently before capturing her lips again. She had managed to work his sweats off his hips and he shimmied them off quickly. For a split second he broke away and she read his mind.

"Birth control," she said quickly, recapturing his lips. But he pulled away again and stared into her eyes, his hand coming up to sweep sweat-soaked strands of hair away from her face. "It's okay," she whispered, her own hands rising to cup his face. The affirmation was all he needed as he slid into her with one smooth motion.

They were still for several seconds, each adjusting to the feel of the other. But when she clenched her muscles impatiently he smiled and began their rhythm, slow at first but no less passionate. When they began to move faster she added to their motion, using her abs and leg strength to lift their hips up as he thrust in burying him a little deeper. His mouth was busy caressing her neck while his hands alternated between supporting most of his weight and kneading her breasts.

Seeley felt his desire growing and he could see that she was nearing the end as well. His free hand moved from her chest down between their bodies. Her previously silent mantra became a hushed but fervent whisper of his name over and over again as his fingers stimulated her further. She cried out again, this time shouting his name. She reached around and grabbed his ass to pull him into her further when he thrust the last time, her name a reverent prayer from his lips as he followed her into his climax.

When they were both spent he rolled onto his side, pulling her against him like a life line. They lay completely motionless for a while; the only sound their slowing breaths. Brushing her hair away from her face he kissed her forehead gently.

"You are amazing," he whispered, earning him a low chuckle.

"Told you." This time he laughed with her as he pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over them.

"What do you want to do today?" he asked her. "It's our last day."

"I think I was headed for the shower," she told him. "Then I don't really know." He stood up and pulled his sweatpants on before digging her flannel pajamas out of the pile of clothes.

"Here," he said. "I'll make breakfast." He bent over to kiss her one more time before moving to the kitchen. He pulled out all the stops, frying eggs and bacon, making a few pancakes, toasting bread, and pouring them milk all while whistling Christmas carols. He heard the shower stop just as he settled their food onto two plates. When he finished the last pancake she emerged in jeans and a sweater.

"And you cook," she said proudly. "You're a keeper." She shrieked as he whirled around and pulled her against him. After kissing her thoroughly and drinking in her post-shower scent he grinned at her.

"I hope so. Now eat." She sat down at the bar and picked up her fork, unaware of Seeley's eyes on her. _I could get used to this_, he thought as he dug into his own food. When their plates were clean and washed, Seeley took a quick shower. As he was putting his dirty clothes away, a thought struck him and he began packing the rest of his things. Temperance was typing furiously on her keyboard. _Probably finishing her outline_, he thought.

"So what do you want to do?" he asked as he exited his room and leaned against her doorframe. She finished typing a sentence and looked up with a shrug.

"We could watch more movies," she suggested.

"We're just a few hours away from Philadelphia," he offered. "We could go stay at my parents' house for a day. I could show you around town."

"Show me off?" she supplied, and smiled teasingly at the sheepish look on his face. "That sounds fine. Let me finish this chapter and pack," she said, returning to her computer screen. When he didn't move she figured he was waiting for something else, so she looked up. But when she did he crossed the distance between them and kissed her deeply. Computer forgotten she lay back on the pillows, taking him with her.

They lay there for several minutes just tasting each other, their hands continuing their exploration from earlier. Temperance wondered for a moment if he was going to take it any further but he surprised her again when he broke the kiss and just lay there silently. His hands had stilled on her waist and back as she rested almost on top of him. The hand on her back began tracing small patterns through her shirt and her eyes closed from his gentle ministrations.

"What are we going to do when we get back?" his voice was soft, as if he were afraid he would break something unfixable.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean work…us. Do we tell people? I'm not sure if the FBI will split us up or not. They have a rule about partners getting involved, so…" he left it hanging.

"Would you get into trouble if they found out after the fact?" she asked, her mind already formulating a plan.

"I'm not sure…" he said warily.

"What if you tell Cullen after we've been together for a while? Say six months? As long as it doesn't affect our work – and it won't," she added adamantly, "Then I don't see the problem."

"This sounds like a plan from a really campy eighties show," he replied shaking his head.

"I don't know what that means," she responded dryly. "Does the FBI even consider us partners? I don't work for them."

"You heard Sweets," Seeley said. "They threatened to sever our partnership. That makes us partners, hence the word." She slapped his chest playfully and grinned.

"The main reason the rule's in place is to prevent supervisory problems that arise when one partner gets promoted to a management position over the other. I don't think we'll have that problem."

"Because I'm the boss?" he tried, earning him another harder thwack. "Ow!"

"Baby," she shot back. But her good natured tease backfired on her when the amused sparkle in his eyes morphed into desire and he pulled her to him again. When he was done kissing her senseless he laid his forehead against hers and took a deep breath.

"Say it again," he whispered. She was only confused for a moment before it dawned on her.

"Baby?" He was an odd one, she discovered as he growled low in his throat. "You know, pet names are just nouns that have favorable associations or connotations in the English language and are –" He cut her off again by attacking her neck, this time pressing body more fully against hers. Temperance, always the scientist, found her newest experiment very interesting and put her mouth very close to his ear as his worked furiously at her collarbone.

"Baby," she whispered huskily, and immediately enjoyed the benefits as his hands moved underneath her shirt and he rolled over on top of her. Her hands immediately went to his waist, unbuttoning his jeans quickly and pushing them off his waist. Her shirt and bra followed and she began undoing his buttons as his mouth moved from her collarbone down to her breasts. His hands worked her jeans off and made quick work of her panties as well.

Soon they were both naked again, reveling in the feel of skin to skin contact. She waited for him to position himself before cupping his face in her hands and directing his eyes to hers. As he thrust in she said it again, and again as his movements became harder and faster. This was no languorous love making; she had awakened his alpha, it seemed. She could see the fire in his eyes being carefully controlled behind a barrier, and she longed to make him lose that control.

"Let go, Seeley. I won't break," she told him. "Come on, baby." _That did it_, she noted with satisfaction as he buried himself deeper with each thrust, his shallow breathing becoming short cries of ecstasy. His mouth crashed down on hers, their lips mimicking the rhythm of their bodies. When her legs raised and hooked around his waist, the angle changed and her cries joined his as he pumped faster. She climaxed first, and her muscles tightening around him caused him to thrust one last time before crying her name loudly.

She lowered her legs but he made no move to extract himself from her, content to lie there in her arms until their bodies had stopped convulsing. When their breathing had evened out he rolled onto his back. But he pulled her with him still inside her, and she found that she enjoyed the sensation.

"I need another shower," her voice broke the silence and he chuckled with her.

"Come on, we'll save water." He sat up and carried her still straddling him into the bathroom. Only when they were in the tub did he pull from her to start the water. They washed each other slowly and made love one more time before toweling off.

It was after two when they were finally packed and ready to leave. Temperance cast a fond glance back at the cabin in her side-view mirror, the small irrational part of her brain telling her that they were leaving some part of them behind. But he read her thoughts and reached over for her hand. He kissed it softly, his eyes never leaving the winding road. Once they were out on the highway they stopped for gas and drinks before making their way to Philadelphia.

Little was said on the drive. Every now and then Seeley would point out something or tell her about a story he'd heard. She'd supplement her usual intellectual trivia to whatever he said, occasionally they'd bicker about something, but their hands remained joined for most of the journey.

They pulled off the highway in Philadelphia around six o'clock. She watched as he remembered his old neighborhood and she saw the play of emotions on his face. She found herself smiling widely with him as he pointed out his old stomping ground.

"Are you sure your parents won't mind?" she asked as they pulled onto a street with large two-story houses and matching mailboxes.

"Mom said they were coming back tomorrow night, so we'll be gone before they get home. It'll be fine, trust me." He pulled the SUV into a wrap around driveway, driving behind the house to a free standing garage. He pulled his bag and hers from the back and led her to the backdoor.

"Down, Dozer," he called to the baying hound inside as he pushed the house key into the lock. "Temperance, welcome to my home," he said dramatically as the door swung open.

She stepped into the kitchen and looked around. Just ahead was a hallway leading straight to the front door and a set of stairs upward on the right. To the left was a dining area that opened up to a living room complete with a large television and a Philadelphia Eagles banner. To right sat a laundry room and pantry where a large basset hound was wagging his tail furiously at the newcomers.

Seeley reached into a bucket and pulled out a rawhide bone, tossing to the dog before leading Temperance on a short tour. Once done he made his homemade favorite (grilled cheese) and sat in the living room regaling her with stories from his youth until they were both laughing so hard they were crying. She found some old photo albums and, after some mild embarrassment, he began to explain the photos.

"It's getting late," she said, realizing that ten o'clock had come and gone. "Where's the guest room?"

"I don't think so," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her behind him up the stairs. Once everything was shut down he pushed her into a bedroom that looked like it had once housed a seventeen year old boy. "I want you in my bed," he said quietly, shutting the door and turning off the light.

"A little demanding today, aren't we?" she teased, but began removing her clothes anyway. With his help (and a little hindrance) they were both nestled under the covers in each others' arms in under two minutes.

"Thank you," he told her as she drifted off, but she hadn't the energy to question him. "For coming, I mean," he clarified. With his soft voice filling her ear as he spoke quietly to her about nothing, she fell asleep completely content.


	7. I'll Be Home for Christmas

Alrighty. Here it is…the last chapter. No smut (thank you for the wonderful reviews btw. I enjoyed them immensely) but lots of fluff. Thanks for everyone who's read and especially those who have reviewed. Believe it or not, your opinion does matter! Happy Holidays!

PS - Sorry this is so late in the day. Events have conspired against me. But here it is nonetheless.

* * *

She woke up completely disoriented staring at an unfamiliar wall. Suddenly it all came rushing back to her and she smiled widely. She was in Seeley's childhood home, currently sleeping nearly on top of him in his childhood bed. Checking the time she noted it was only nine in the morning and she wondered what had woken her. Then she heard it again; a door downstairs opened and shut, then a woman's voice called out. 

"Seeley!"

"Damn!" Temperance whispered fiercely as Seeley started awake. She watched his face as he processed all the current stimuli. He smiled lazily at first, his arms tightening around her body. Then the woman's shrill call passed through his sleep-filled haze and his eyes widened almost comically. Then he realized they were both completely nude and his jaw dropped and his face flushed red. They jumped up at the same time, scrambling to throw on clothes as they heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Seeley managed to get boxers and a t-shirt on quickly and he stepped out to meet his mother in the hall.

"Mom!" he said, enveloping her in a bear hug. "I didn't know you and Dad were coming back today."

"We caught an early flight," she said, pulling back to arms length to look at her youngest son. "You've lost weight," she said disapprovingly.

"Mom," he whined. "Hey, I want you to meet someone," he said. "Temperance is here." He could see her in his mind with a furious look on her face and he stifled a smile at the image.

"Well where is she?"

"She's still sleeping," he said, gesturing to the closed guest room door. "I'll wake her up. Could you go get some coffee started?"

"Sure honey," she said, patting his arm. Only when her back was turned and she was on her way down the stairs did she allow herself a small smile. Her boys never could lie to her very well.

Seeley sighed in relief and waited until he heard his mother tinkering around in the kitchen before he walked back into his room. Temperance whacked him solidly on the shoulder and he rubbed it with fake irritation.

"Ow!"

"How could you! You're mother probably thinks I'm some kind of trollop who –" She never got to finish her sentence as Seeley kissed her soundly.

"Good morning," he whispered. "This is the third time I've woken up with you in my arms. I have to say I could definitely get used to it." She smiled and fought a blush as she looked around. He quickly grabbed some clothes from his bag and changed as she did the same. Once they were both presentable he led her down stairs.

"Hey Dad," he greeted the older man with a hug.

"Seeley, we were wondering who's car that was. But with DC plates it can only mean our prodigal son has returned. And who is this?"

"Dad, Mom," he said, turning to pull her against him, "This is Temperance Brennan. You know, my partner?"

"Oh so this is her," the older Booth said. "Temperance, it's a pleasure. I'm David and this is my wife Sarah."

"Pleased to meet you," she replied only somewhat awkwardly before wheeling on Seeley. "What lies have you been telling about me?"

"Nothing unflattering," he returned, kissing her cheek quickly. "Mom, is that food I smell?"

"I figured the two of you haven't eaten yet, since you just got up. Why didn't you call and tell us you were staying?"

"Just last night, Ma," Seeley corrected quickly, not wanting his parents to think he'd used their house for some illicit affair while they were away for Christmas. "We were out at Chaz's cabin and decided to head back a little early. I wanted to show Temperance Philadelphia since she's never been."

"Well sit down," Sarah said, shooing them to a half-bar. "What to drink dear?" It took only a second to Temperance to realize she was being addressed and she cleared her throat.

"Oh, water's fine," she said quickly, but Seeley shook his head.

"Orange juice," he corrected, earning him a glare from one side and a dish towel across his head from the other. "Or water's fine, I guess."

"Fine line, young man," Sarah said, pointing a free hand, and some old conversation must have been referenced for Seeley just nodded sheepishly and apologized. Temperance made a note to ask about it later.

Breakfast was even better than at the cabin as they sat around the bar and talked about trivial things. Sarah asked briefly about her books, but made no mention of being a big fan or demanding an autograph. Seeley and his father talked a while about cars and (to Seeley's chagrin) what Jared was doing with his wife and kids these days. When the topic turned to Parker Sarah joined back in and sang praises about her grandson.

With the formalities out of the way Sarah moved to clean the dishes while David checked on the upcoming football games and scores from the previous week. Seeley took Temperance back upstairs to clean up a bit before joining his parents in the living room.

"Thanks for the hospitality," Seeley said as he pulled his mother into a hug. "Bye Dad."

"Have a safe drive, son," David replied, pulling his youngest son into a bear hug. To Temperance's surprise she was pulled into a hug by each of Seeley's parents, and his mother even elicited a promise from her to visit soon, surprising both herself and Seeley.

"And send me pictures of my grandson!" Sarah called after them as they climbed into the Trailblazer for the last time. Seeley nodded and waved as he pulled out of the drive and back onto the road that would lead them to Washington.

"What did your mother mean when she said 'fine line?'" Seeley smiled sheepishly and rubbed the spot where his mother had whacked him with the towel.

"Apparently there's a fine line between being chivalrous and domineering."

"And you dance across it all the time," Temperance added with a hint of a tease in her voice. He feigned offense before patting her knee.

"Oh come on, admit it. You love my 'alpha male' side sometimes." She shrugged and pushed his hand away.

"It's useful on occasion," she admitted. "But there are times when it just makes me want to punch you. Will that 'fine line' thing work for me too?"

"Hopeful?" he chuckled, but straightened his face when he saw that she was serious. "Sure, if it's really getting on your nerves, I guess you have the right to tell me. Though I don't know why you asked - you usually tell me anyway." She nodded her head in agreement and they let the matter drop. "It's only Thursday," he said finally, as if the fact had somehow escaped her attention. "I'm not due back at the Bureau for a week. What about you?" She sighed and shrugged her shoulders, staring absently out the window.

"I was supposed to be in Peru until the fifth," she said. "So I'm not due back at the Jeffersonian until the seventh. But I suppose I could go in and get some limbo cases done."

"Oh come on, Bones, it's Christmas!" he cried, shooting her his most charming smile. The use of her nickname didn't go unnoticed by either of them and she returned his smirk with one of her own.

"Technically, Christmas is over. You'll have to wait a whole year." Quickly he reached over and grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss before setting them in his lap.

"As long as you're with me, I'll gladly wait." He waited for the expected eye roll at his cheesiness but it never came. Deciding to press his luck he continued, "What do you say we make this trip annual?" She thought about it for a moment – thought about the seriousness of setting a tradition with him. But the more she thought the more she realized that there was no one else who knew her better, no one else who could make her laugh on her worst days or her best. He knew exactly what to do to make her cry, but she knew he never would. Meeting his eyes for a split second before he returned them to the road, she squeezed his hand as she responded.

"I think I can squeeze that into my schedule. Though there is a site out in Death Valley that's supposed to have remarkably intact remains. A museum in California's sponsoring the dig, but they've asked for my input." She was really only half-serious, but curious as to his reaction. As predicted his eyes widened and he shook his head.

"No. No skeletons at Christmas!" There was a beat of silence, then:

"What about New Year's?"

* * *

Well that's it. I hope everyone enjoyed it. I will be getting back to _Heaven's Love_ in a while, so if you haven't checked that out please do so and let me know what you think. I'll probably be getting to that just after the new year starts, maybe sooner if inspiration strikes. 


End file.
